


The Twisted Tale We Weave

by michebellaxo



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: AU, F/M, Falling In Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-08-05
Updated: 2016-10-19
Packaged: 2018-02-11 22:08:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 49,522
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2084961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/michebellaxo/pseuds/michebellaxo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Regina and David fall through the portal in "Broken" instead of Emma and Snow, what will happen? Will they learn to work together to get back home? And will Regina want to return home when she doesn't believe anyone wants her there?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

James waved his makeshift torch at the wraith in an attempt to fight it off, to buy more time. He could hear Mary Margaret and Emma trying to figure out what was taking so long for Regina to get the hat to work. He swung at the wraith, saving a foot of space between where the wraith had been and where it was now. He kept fighting, worried mostly for his wife and daughter, but he knew that if Regina died it would break his grandson’s heart and that was something he didn’t want to see.

Regina was trying her damnedest to get the hat’s portal to open. She was elated to find out that Henry had asked Emma to protect her; maybe he did love her after all. She spun the hat, nothing happened. She kept spinning; she could feel the wraith getting closer the more coldness seeped into every fiber of her being, all the way through to the marrow of her bones. She felt Emma kneel down by her and grip her arm, and suddenly it felt as though magic was once again pulsing through her veins, her blood, her skin and the portal opened. She looked at Emma, and then her eyes averted to Emma’s hand on her arm in shock. Before she noticed anything else, Emma pushed her away from the hat.

The wraith finally gained enough advantage when James’ torch burned out. The prince was tossed aside by the wraith, and as the soul-sucker was pulled through the portal, James’ body slammed full force into Regina and the impact from them both being tossed aside, James from in front of the hat and Regina from the side, the two peoples’ bodies curled around each other and both fell through the portal. Snow tried to dive for it, but by the time she reached the hat, the portal had closed.

“No!” she wailed, lifting herself off the floor and picking up the hat. She ran her hands against the now solid floor and flipped the hat over and over desperately.

“What?” Emma looked around. “What the hell just happened?”

“They…they fell through the portal.”

“But, then, where are they? Regina said she’d be banishing the wraith to oblivion—what does that mean for them?”

“I…I don’t know,” Snow cried. “But I don’t feel like David is missing from me…I guess let’s just hope that Regina was wrong, or lying. It’s not like it would be the first time.”

At that moment, Henry burst into the room, followed closely by Ruby. He ran to grab Emma in a hug, but quickly pulled away to look around.”

“Wh—where are my mom and David?” he asked tentatively.

“Kid…” Emma began slowly, trying to figure out a way to explain. “We were trying to send the wraith through the portal and…well, and they got sucked through it.”

“But…to where?”

“We don’t know exactly where, but we’re thinking maybe to Fairytale Land, or whatever.”

“The Enchanted Forest,” Snow offered.

“Well, how do we get them back?” he asked earnestly.

“I’m not sure, kid. But we’re gonna go find some answers.” She looked at Ruby. “Can you stay with Henry just a little longer? Maybe meet us at the apartment in an hour?” Ruby nodded and ushered Henry out of City Hall after he got another hug from Emma.

“Now what?” Snow asked.

“Now we talk to Gold.”

 

David woke up first to see two women standing over him, staring at him and the small form next to him. He looked to his left and saw Regina and the memory of them falling through the hat hit him with a deep pain to his heart. He would have been fine if it had been Snow or Emma, but why did it have to be his worst enemy? His thoughts of his wife and daughter cut him coldly in his soul. He had just gotten them back, and now he couldn’t be with them.

“Who are you?” a dark haired woman with skin with creamy butterscotch colored skin asked.

“I’m King James, though I prefer the title of Prince. This is—“ he paused. Surely he could not tell them who she really was without them knowing, and while he didn’t particularly care what happened to her, he knew that he would likely need her help to get home.

“I’m Rebecca,” Regina cut in. “I’m his wife’s sister.”

“Are you not Snow White’s prince?” asked a fair-skinned strawberry blonde woman.

“You know of me?” James asked.

“I do. My name is Aurora. The beastly queen Maleficent put me under a sleeping curse that she procured from the Evil Queen. She was the woman who hunted you and your Snow White, right?”

Yes, indeed.”

“So I ask, who is this woman with you, truly? I know that Snow White was an only child.”

“Indeed she was. Rebecca was a close family friend of the Whites and they grew up as sisters.” Aurora and her companion exchanged doubtful looks, but with no way to prove him wrong, they accepted his explanation.

“Very well. I am Mulan. You’re coming with us,” she said, not in an offer, but in a demand.

“Excuse me?” Regina asked, incredulous. “No, we’re not.”

“Yes you are. You brought the soul-sucker who killed Prince Philip.” Regina appeared to be readying herself to use magic, but James nudged her in the ribs with his elbow and gave her a pointed look. She rolled her eyes and seethed while Mulan began to bind their wrists.

It wasn’t long before they were being dragged behind three horses, one for each woman and one for what seemed to be supplies.

“What the hell was that story?” Regina demanded in a low voice to ensure they were not overheard.

“They can’t know who you are…not yet. You may have magic, but we don’t know if it’s what it used to be and I have no weapon.”

“Fine,” she huffed in response. She hated being wrong. Hated it even more when it was an enemy who was right. “Why did you even save me? You could have told them who I was and they probably would have locked me up…or killed me. Then you would be rid of me. And even before that—you could have stopped fighting the wraith, you could have just let it come after me and take my soul. Henry would have gotten over it quickly, I’m sure. Hell—if you weren’t with me, I’m sure nobody would care to search for us.”

“First, I wouldn’t condemn even a wraith to having to possess your soul,” he growled. He was tired of hearing her mouth. Tired of being away from his family and it had only been possibly an hour. Tired of the fact that he would have to work with Regina to get back and that had only come to him recently. “Second, saving people…it’s what good people do.”

“Your daughter once said that to me.”

“Yeah, well, she’s a good person.”

“Right. Well, if you’re such a good person, why was your first instinct to let me die?”

“Nobody’s perfect.” He glared at her, annoyed that she had a point. He shouldn’t have ever said anything about letting the wraith take her, he had meant it in that moment, but thinking on it now made him realize that it would have hurt Henry. “Do you think they’re really looking for us?”

Regina snorted. “Yes, James, I think they’ll be looking for you. Snow White isn’t going to give up her _precious_ prince,” she snarled.

They glared at each other until they noticed that they were coming up to some type of civility. They saw a group of people that appeared to be refugees, and James was the first to speak.

“What is this place?”

“It is our safe haven,” Mulan answered.

“So this part of the land was untouched by the curse?”

“Indeed.”

“You don’t know how?” Regina asked suspiciously.

“No. Why do you ask?”

“We lived under that curse for a long time and it was…powerful, to say the least. We had no memories, no history. A curse that powerful…it would have taken a great deal of magic to protect against it. Even Maleficent and the Dark One were there.”

Aurora gasped, but it was Mulan who spoke. “How do you have so much knowledge of the Queen’s dark curse?”

“The Blue Fairy was on Snow and my counsel,” David spoke up. “She was a close friend of the family, the White family to begin and then my and Snow’s family. We both know much of magic because of it.”

“Including,” Regina continued, “A bit of information that I believe young Aurora here will find great pleasure in, should you let us go.”

“What information?” Aurora demanded.

Regina ignored her inquiry. They were freed from the horses and were being led into the camp towards a row of cabins.

“You can speak to our leader about that,” Mulan supplied. Regina hid behind James larger frame, uncertain of whom their leader was and if they would recognize her. She was amazed that they had made it so far without someone being able to pinpoint who exactly she was. She found herself wondering if a decent haircut, different makeup and an entirely different wardrobe could really have that much of an impact, but she guessed that it did, apparently. The door opened and a man with a tall and broad build, a hairless head and dark skin came out of the door, having to duck slightly in the doorway because of his height. He was dressed in full armor with a sword on his hip and Regina found herself recognizing what little of him she could see over the prince’s shoulder.

“Lancelot?” James bellowed excitedly. “You look well!” The man stepped toward him.

“Lancelot, this is Prince James and his companion, Rebecca,” Mulan stated.

“Yes, I know James.” The men shook hands, coming together in a half hug, clapping each other hard on the shoulder. When they pulled apart, the man looked Regina over, and then unsheathed his sword, holding the point at her throat. “That is no woman named Rebecca. That is the Evil Queen, Regina!” he yelled. “Take them to the pit!”

 

When they were tossed into the pit, Regina was knocked unconscious and James was teetering on the edge of consciousness. Still, he pushed himself up off the ground and moved closer to her to check her over.

“Regina!” he growled, gently slapping the flesh of her cheek. “C’mon, Regina! We’ve spent a lifetime trying to kill each other, don’t tell me it would have been this easy!” He shook her shoulder and when the act held no response from the brunette, he checked her pulse. Relieved to feel the steady pumping against her throat, he relaxed his body and stood to examine where they were. James was startled when he heard a hesitant voice.

“Hello?” was all the voice said. He faced the shadows, noticing a silhouette moving closer to him.

“Who are you?”

“A fellow prisoner. I’ve been here a long time. Who are you?”

“Prince James, and this, my companion, is Re—Rebecca.” The woman made a point of looking around him.

“Rebecca, you say? She bears a rather strong resemblance to Queen Regina.”

“I wouldn’t know.”

“Yet another lie. Why would you be protecting her? I thought she was sworn enemies with you and your wife.”

“Uh…it’s complicated. Who _are_ _you_? You never answered me.” James heard a heavy gasp followed by the sounds of Regina scuttling around on the ground, drawing herself up to stand. When he turned to look at her, he found that she appeared to be terrified.

“James, stay away from her!” Regina ordered, the fear in her voice palpable.

“Who is she? Why am I staying away?”

“Cora.”

“Cora?” he asked.

“My mother,” she snarled, her upper lip curling in distaste. “Don’t speak to her, James. Everything you say, she will use against you.”

“Regina,” he whispered, not turning his back to the other woman in the pit, but trying to keep the conversation between the two of them. “What do we do?” He had heard a little bit about Regina’s mother from Snow, but the look of horror on Regina’s face really had him fearing her. Anyone who could scare a woman as powerful as Regina surely was not someone to be messed with.

“I…I don’t know, James.” She leaned in so her mouth was close to his ear, trying to be as quiet as possible; she breathed, “I can’t beat her.” He turned his face farther to look into her eyes, shocked at her admission. A rope dropping from the opening of the pit cut the tension in the small space that they occupied.

“The leader wants a word with the Prince,” a deep voice announced. James looked at Regina, who was looking at her mother, afraid.

“I won’t come without the Queen,” he answered.

If you can control her, she may join you.” Regina scoffed at the though of him having any control over her, but he just shook his head and looked at her with a desperate look.

“Promise me, Regina. I really don’t want to leave you down here with her.” Finally, Regina pursed her lips and nodded her agreement.

James knelt to the ground and brought his hands together, weaving his fingers to form a step for her. He hoisted her as high as he could onto the rope before grasping it below her and climbing underneath her. He was surprised at her strength when she was able to climb a good amount of the rope, holding her own weight in her arms. When they reached the higher ground and both were standing, he stood in front of her, using his body to guard her and holding one arm out to his side protectively in front of her. He looked around to see half a dozen men hoisting swords that were pointed in her direction.

“You can lower your weapons,” he stated. “We are coming peacefully, please do so as well.” His stance and voice were very King-like, demanding but respectful. Regina stared at him in shock, and found herself amused by his protectiveness. She had never needed a man to protect her and she sure as hell didn’t now, either.

“And for your information,” spoke to the men, “if you tried to hurt us, I could kill all of you with a snap of my fingers. Lower your weapons.”

“Regina,” James sighed. “You can’t try for just one minute to play nice?”

“Excuse me for being defensive while several weapons are aimed to kill me on quick notice.”

“Alright, well, let’s get this over with. Let’s go speak with Lancelot.”


	2. Beginning the Journey

Emma and Snow burst into Gold’s shop, yelling out for the man until he came out of his back room with a sly smile on his face and both hands leaning on his cane as he stopped to stand behind one glass counter.

“To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?” he asked.

“You know damn well what we want. We want answers,” Emma demanded.

“Like where are Regina and David?” Snow cut in.

“I’m sorry, dearie, but I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Regina opened a portal,” Emma began to explain. “She said she would be banishing the wraith thing to the Enchanted Forest, because it’s basically a void or whatever. But they got sucked through the portal. What does that mean for them?”

“I can’t say for certain, dearie.”

“You’re lying. I can tell. Try again and tell me the truth.”

“There’s always a price.”

“Yeah, well consider David getting pulled through the portal the price. We wouldn’t have had to open it if it wasn’t for that wraith you set after Regina! Now tell us the truth!” she punctuated each word that she spoke.

“Very well. They are in the Enchanted Forest because it does still exist.”

“Regina will probably kill him! We have to get them back!” Snow panicked.

“Well, even if we get them back tomorrow, dearie, time passes differently here than it does there.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, there isn’t an exact formula, but I would say a day or two here is a week there. So your lovely husband may already be dead. That is, if the queen has tired of his idiocy already.”

“No,” she whimpered, clutching her chest and rushing out of the building.

 

 

The trio sat at a wooden table with food set in front of them. James dug in happily, filling his plate with meat and fruit, Regina, however, stared at it with a look of disgust.

“ _What_ is that?” she snarled.

“Chimera. One part lion, one part serpent, one part goat,” Lancelot answered.

“That is vile.”

“An acquired taste, yes.”

“Well, _princess_ , not everyone has been treated to the food of royalty all of their lives,” David interjected.

“Indeed, dear. In fact, I seem to remember eating roast _swan_ once when Rumple told me I would understand the humor behind it one day, and I do now. I can’t wait to have some roast Swan.”

“Cut it out, Regina.”

“And…by the way, it’s Queen, _not_ princess, dear.”

“Ah, right. I’m _so sorry,_ your _Majesty_ ,” he replied dryly, earning a glare from Regina. The brunette woman ended up filling her plate with grapes and various other sides, avoiding the meat altogether. David picked up a hunk of the meat, taking a large bite and chewing the food that overfilled his mouth. After his bite was fully chewed and swallowed, he offered Regina a smirk, waving the uneaten chunk in front of Regina’s face below her mouth. “Are you _sure_ you don’t want any?” he said playfully. “It’s so meaty and delicious.”

She rolled her eyes at him but couldn’t help smirking back at him and his teasing. “You’re disgusting, Charming. Now, stop playing with your food like a child and _eat_ it, dear.”

“Hmm? Are you sure that _you_ don’t want to eat this meaty and delicious _thing_?’ he asked, a boyish smiling playing at his lips.

“You’re disgusting. And about as mature as your daughter. You want to talk about eating though? I’ll tell you, I’d have eaten her any day of the week had she offered.” James spit out the food he had half chewed in his mouth, spewing it onto his plate among his untouched food. He looked at Regina with a foul look, noticing the woman had a devious smirk playing at her lips. “Oh, I’m sorry, have I offended you?”

“That’s not something a father _ever_ wants to hear.”

“Oh? You’re unaware your daughter likes women? I’m surprised, I thought it was so obvious.”

“Then explain how she has a son.”

“Oh well, she may very well like men, too, but she likes women. I’ve noticed her eyes on my chest and my behind.”

“Well, that’s just…natural,” he responded. Once he realized what he said and saw Regina’s smirk broaden, his eyes widened and he opened his mouth, as though he was going to refute his own statement, but couldn’t come up with a way to do so and ended up just closing his mouth before he spoke again, quite possibly making a fool of himself.

“Is that so, _Charming_?” she asked.

“I…I—well I meant…before the curse broke…David Nolan. I mean…you hit on him, of course as _him_ I….looked…at you,” he stuttered.

“I’m sure that’s what you meant, _dear_.”

Lancelot, seeing that James was flailing, decided to interrupt. “So, what is your plan now that you are here? Do you intend to take over your kingdom? I believe your castle was destroyed.”

“That’s quite unfortunate to hear, but I suppose I had no doubts about that anyway,” David spoke before taking a pause. “I don’t intend to stay, however, my friend. I intend to find a way back to Snow and my daughter. I have a grandson, as well, that I desire to get to know as much as possible.”

“And how do you plan to get back?”

“I’m not sure. Regina and I will have to scour the lands for a way to make it into the other realm.”

“What is this realm you speak of?” Lancelot asked, his eyebrows raised.

“That’s not a good idea for us to speak of, Cora is lurking around, and there are too many ways for her to overhear, and pairing with the fact that I thought her dead, I really do not wish for her to find a way to make it back to our realm. I apologize, your _tolerance_ of I, the former Evil Queen, is appreciated, but it is best if only James and I know this information.”

“I understand,” Lancelot replied, bowing his head in concession. “However, I will only supply the two of you with weapons so long as you allow my best warrior to accompany you. She is the one who brought you here, Mulan.”

“I suppose if that is the only way we can go, we will accept. I would like a quiver of arrows and a bow.”

“I’ll take a sword,” James requested.

“Of course you will, _Charming_ ,” Regina added with a smirk.

“Keep it to yourself, Regina.” The two Storybrooke residents stood after Lancelot and followed him to a chest of weapons. They each dug out the items they requested, and Regina grabbed a short-hilted dagger as well, wrapping it in a piece of cloth she found and sliding it into the side of her boot.

“Mulan,” Lancelot called to the woman who was standing just across the opening of the haven. The brunette looked up and began walking over to the trio, closely followed by Aurora.

“Lancelot,” Mulan answered once she was standing with the group of people, bowing her head slightly.

“You will accompany these two wherever they need to go. They are going to try to get home to their realm and I need for you to keep them safe.”

“I will do all that I can, sir.”

“Thank you, my friend.”

“I must bring Aurora. I made a warrior’s promise to her prince that I would keep her safe.” Lancelot looked at James and Regina and asked them if they were all right with the princess joining them.

Regina looked at the fair redhead and rolled her eyes. “If you must,” Regina said. “But do not hold us back.” She walked away from the group of people, heading in the direction she desired and made it several feet away before she realized that no one was following. She turned back around and looked at the group pointedly. “Are you guys coming or were you planning on staying here all day?”

“Shouldn’t we wait until start of day tomorrow?” Mulan asked.

“Did I not just say that it would be best if no one held us back? We’re going now, Mulan and Aurora, you two may choose to wait until tomorrow, but James and I will be going now.” James shook his head and caught up with her, walking at her side.

“You could be a little nicer, Regina.”

“Whatever you say, James.”

“David.”

“What?”

“I was testing out James since we’ve been here, but I really prefer David,” he answered. He figured she would scoff at him, or roll her eyes. Or make fun of him in some other cruel way, but she didn’t. She shrugged and nodded, offering a closed-mouth smile. David could tell it was a sincere smile by how her eyes crinkled around the outer edges and he found himself noticing how beautiful she really was and wondering how no one had given her the love that such beauty deserved.

“Well, fine then, David. Should we head out, then?”

Caught off guard by her sincere and non-abrasive tone, he just nodded and followed her lead noticing that Mulan and Aurora were following behind them. After they had walked what seemed like a mile, David looked up and noticed that he didn’t recognize anything of the area. He closed the few feet of distance between himself and Regina, taking up at her side.

“Where are we headed first, your Majesty?” he teased.

“I prefer Regina,” she replied without skipping a beat. She paused a moment to let it sink in before she continued, “We’re going to my castle, of course.”

“Ok,” he replied slowly, sounding out both syllables of the short word carefully. “I know you think I’m stupid, and you know, I’m sorry if I am but I’m not sure why your castle is an ‘of course’ type of place?”

“Look at yourself, David. You’re wearing jeans, boots, a cotton t-shirt and a jacket. I’m wearing heels and a business suit, with a blazer as my warmth.”

“You look pretty?” he joked.

“Well, thanks, I’m sure pretty will help us so much along the way. But we’re going to my castle to get some more appropriate clothes for me to do this journey in. And…I may have some things of Graham’s still if you want a change of clothes or two. You’re more brawny than he was, but he also didn’t wear his clothing very tight, so it may work. I could probably get that princess a new dress, too, since hers looks torn to shreds,” she added, turning and pointing at the two following them.

“You know…take you out of the hostile environment and away from all your enemies, you aren’t so bad.”

“So touching, David,” she smarmed. “But you’re forgetting, you’re my enemy, yes? And this is still a hostile environment, just...less populated.”

“We don’t have to be enemies.”

“How chivalrous and _charming_.”

“Come on, Regina. Is it so terrible to let someone just be nice to you? Ok…fine, maybe if we hadn’t been sucked into this damn portal I wouldn’t be acting nice toward you, but time goes by really slowly when you’re bored. And I think if we seriously go the entire journey not talking or playing nice, time is going to go by dreadfully slow.” Regina gave him a skeptical look, raising her eyebrows and pursing her lips, but in the end she nodded.

“Fine. Temporary truce.” David smiled and Regina was instantly reminded of a puppy who had gotten positive feedback. The comparison made her smirk, but she shook it off and continued leading the way.

“How far is your castle?” he asked.

“I don’t think it’s much farther, the rest of today’s journey and a couple hours in the morning, but there are two ways for us to get there from where we are.”

“Ok?”

“Magic, but I can’t transport all four of us, it would take a lot of power and I don’t want to exhaust myself in case we come across something that I’ll need the magic for.”

“And the other?”

“We walk.”

David shrugged. “So we walk.”

“Yes, but on the journey we will find my childhood home.”

“Bad memories? You don’t want to go back? I’m not sure I understand the issue.”

“The land on which my childhood home sits is home to stables. The very stables in which I fell in love. It is the very land on which I saved your Snow White. And they are the very stables where my fiancé died because of her.”

“What will we do then?”

“We will keep walking until I decide if such an event will be manageable. Until I decide, though, we have much ground to cover before we rest for the night.”

They walked for several more hours until dark was beginning to cover the lands. Regina looked around herself and tried to gauge exactly how much more of a walk they had. She was tempted to poof herself and David into her castle, where they could at least sleep in beds for the night. But, she knew that leaving the warrior and the princess would not be fair, especially considering the warrior was there to protect them. Instead she watched Mulan set up an awning type shield for Aurora to sleep under and decided to magic some blankets for her and David. After she handed one over to him, she saw him pull off his jacket and bundle it up so he could use it as a pillow. She built a fire in the middle of the small area in the trees that they had found. Two sides of the fire were compromised by heavy logs that acted as seats and the other two sides were occupied by David on one, and Mulan and Aurora on the other. She sighed and laid her blanket in front of where David had chosen to lay down. She did the same thing with her blazer that he did with his jacket and she laid down on her back.

“Something wrong, Regina?” he asked as she lowered her head onto her makeshift pillow.

“I’m just not used to sleeping so close to anyone who has ever tried to kill me.”

“I’m sure you’re not. But if it makes you feel better, I can promise not to kill you in your sleep. At least not tonight,” he joked, winking at her. She rolled her eyes.

“And how do you know I won’t kill _you_ in _your_ sleep?”

“I have faith that I’ve made you laugh enough today, you’ll keep me around.”

“You really are so full of yourself, Charming.”

“It’s David.”

“Right. David.”

“Have a good night, Regina.”

“You too, David.”


	3. Pains of the Past

Regina was the first of their group to wake in the morning, though that didn’t surprise her. She looked at her companions and noticed that Mulan seemed to be the closest to waking next after her. She tossed a fireball into the fire pit she had created the night before and slung her quiver across her chest and her bow on her arm. She knew she wouldn’t be as on aim as she used to be, but hunting was worth a shot. She was hungry for meat, having only had lighter food the previous day. She regretted not choking down the chimera, but she just couldn’t bring herself to do it. Rabbit, however, she would be able to eat. She found an area with several bushes of berries and sat across the way from it, watching and waiting for something to come eat from it. Sure as she thought, it only took moments before she saw a rabbit hopping up to eat the leaves from the bush. She drew the arrow back and released, watching the arrow shoot right through the gut of the rabbit. She grimaced at the possible loss of some meat; she had been aiming for the head.

After she pulled the arrow out she wiped it off with some leaves, dropping it back into the quiver and grasped the bunny by the ears. She hadn’t ever felt bad for eating meat; to her it was a necessity for strength because she had never been able to fill up on fruits, vegetables and bread. However, holding the dead animal in her hands by it’s ears, feeling the soft fur inside the palm of her hand, made her feel a small twinge of guilt. She didn’t have a satchel or a bag with her so she decided to head back and start skinning the rabbit before she came back for berries. Once back at the camp she saw that David was awake.

“I was wondering where you were,” he whispered, trying not to wake the other two women.

She held up the rabbit. ”Breakfast.”

“You killed that?” His eyebrows were raised and he had an impressed look on his face.

“I did. It wasn’t as clean of a kill as I would have liked, the arrow went through his gut, not head, but it should still have a decent amount of meat for the four of us.” They heard rustling behind them and turned to see Mulan moving to stand.

“You killed, I’ll clean,” the warrior offered.

“Thank you. Do you have a satchel or bowl I can put some berries in? I found a bush nearby and wanted to gather.”

“Yes,” she answered, digging a bowl out of her bag. She handed it off to Regina with the warning not to eat anything she doesn’t recognize.

“I know these lands well, I know what is safe to eat and what is not safe. Thank you for your concern, though,” Regina answered, walking back into the cover of trees. David stood up quickly and shoved his feet into his boots.

“Regina, wait up,” he called, hurrying to catch up to her. Once he had, he smiled. “I can help.”

“Can you?”

“Yes. I have very good berry-picking fingers.”

“Whatever you say, David. Don’t waste my time though, keep up.”

“You were being polite to Mulan. Thank you.”

“I can be nice. I’m not as evil as people seem to think I am. It was your Snow White that began calling me evil.” Her tone was vicious or spiteful; she was simply stating a fact that she had accepted long ago.

“I can tell. You’re being very kind since we’ve been travelling. And…about the last part—”

“You don’t have to defend it, David. It’s just how things go. Maybe one day you will hear the stories behind how the Evil Queen became who she is.” Regina took the last couple of steps between them and the berry bushes she had found and started picking them to put into the bowl Mulan had given her. David picked one and popped it in his mouth, savoring the juices as the berry burst over his tongue.

“This is good,” he mused. He pulled another one and held it in front of her mouth, waving it in front of her face.

“What is with you and trying to feed me?” she asked, swatting his hand away from her face.

“Just…humor me, it’s delicious,” he insisted. He lifted his hand to bring the berry back to her mouth and without thinking, she leaned forward and opened her mouth, closing her lips around the tips of his fingers and sucking the berry into her mouth. David pulled his finger and thumb away from her and smiled, watching her close her eyes and enjoy the fruit.

“It is delicious, yes,” she said, opening her eyes and realizing how close he was to her. She cleared her throat and turned back to pick more of the small fruits.

“So…what’s the plan?”

“I think we will have to walk. We have probably four hours or so, I believe.”

“That’s not too bad. Do your feet hurt?”

“They certainly don’t feel good, but I was lucky that I happened to choose to wear pantyhose when I woke up yesterday, so I shouldn’t have any chaffing from the leather, hopefully. Thank you for asking.”

“I don’t know how you wear heels all the time, they look really uncomfortable.”

“They’re not so bad. I’ve had a long time to get used to them. I wore them often as the evil queen, too.”

“I remember. I think that the pants and fancy tops with boots suited you better than the dresses, though. Or…most of the dresses. Like the one you wore to taunt me with the apple you were going to give Snow.”

“What about it?”

“If the colors were lighter it would have been a princess-y dress, or like an ordinary queen. When you wore your outfits with pants you always seemed more…maybe larger than life. You’re quite the enemy to have.”

“Yes, but in the end you captured me and stopped me from killing your wife.”

“But you still brought us to another world. And I don’t think you ever really wanted to kill her as it was.”

“No?”

“All that time in Storybrooke and you never did? If you had truly wanted to, I think you would have in that time.”

“Perhaps. It doesn’t matter anyway, and your life, of course, is safe. I cannot kill you here, remember?”

“I wasn’t worried about it.”

“No?” He shook his head in response. “Fool. Anyway, my main goal is getting you home to your family so that my son doesn’t think I’m a monster who killed you.”

“Getting _me_ home? Aren’t you coming?”

“Why should I? I may not like this life here, and there may be people here who want my head, but I can travel to another realm from here. Whatever way I find to send you home, I can use to travel somewhere else. I’m not wanted in Storybrooke, everyone wants my head. Henry doesn’t love me anymore, he only sees me as the evil queen, and besides, he has Emma now…his _real_ mother as he likes to refer to her.”

“I think he would miss you. He’s just a boy who is confused. He’ll come around.”

“Why does it matter to you?”

“Because in this day of travelling you have shown me kindness and I don’t believe that the Evil Queen is all that you are.”

“Whatever you want to believe, prince.” She picked only a couple more berries before turning to head back to where they had made camp for the night. Aurora was now awake and sitting up. Mulan had set the game up on a stick, propped by logs over the fire to cook.

“What is the plan?” Mulan asked.

“We have a few more hours of walking until we make it to my castle. We can bathe and rest there for the day and night. Provided I come up with a plan by tomorrow to get us home, we can leave in the morning. If I do not, however, we may have to take more time at my castle to plan. It will be safe there, we can at least know that.”

“Regina…” David stared. “Is time here the same as it is at home?”

“I don’t know. I wish I could answer that for you. You really shouldn’t worry too much, David. Snow _will_ be looking for you.”

“I know. There’s just no one there to help her like you’re here to help me.”

“Yes, well, Mr. Gold brought magic back, I’m sure the fairies will find a way to use their magic again and Snow will have that blue bug to help her.”

“What is it you have against Blue? I mean…I didn’t mean that to sound harsh, I’m genuinely curious.”

“That is not a story I share with just anyone, Charming. Possibly another time.”

“That’s twice you’ve said that.”

“And twice I’ve meant it.” She cut off the conversation and David didn’t try to start it again. The four ate and Mulan, with David’s assistance, packed up the awning she had set up for Aurora. Soon the group was on their way.

David kept pace with Regina while Mulan and Aurora followed closely behind them. The group remained silent nearly the entire first two hours. David knew when they were nearing the land on which Regina grew up because Regina slowed the pace considerably in comparison to the first part of their morning’s journey. Sure enough, after they reached the top of a hill David spotted the stables that must have been the ones she spoke about. He dropped back to the other two women while letting Regina walk ahead.

“We are going to wait here until she is ready,” he said to Aurora and Mulan.

“Why? What is the point of resting? Are we not almost there?” Mulan asked.

“This land, it means something to her and we need to allow her space for a few moments. She will retrieve us when she’s ready.” The three sat at the top of the hill and watched as Regina made her way into the stables.

 

They didn’t smell the same. It had been many, many years since she had been in these stables. Since the day she gave Snow the cursed apple. She wanted to enjoy them, but there was so much pain that she related to these stables. Her Daniel, how she missed him. She walked to the farthest stall from the door, where she and Daniel shared their first kiss. The next stall she went to was the largest, the one they had used for birthing the horses. It was the stall where they had nearly made love for what would be their first and only time, but hadn’t been able to. Instead they had just moved together while fully clothed, but Regina had still had an orgasm and she was happy that her first was with someone she loved. She went to the place they agreed to marry, then she sat on the ground where she had held him as he died. Regina bent over and wept into the last bits of forgotten hay. She didn’t know how long she was in there until she heard someone knocking on the barn door.

“Regina?” was the lightly spoken request. She looked up to catch his eyes.

“David…thank you for giving me time alone.”

“Of course. I am guessing it has been nearly an hour and I just wanted to check that you were going to be all right.”

“I will be. I’m not right now, but in time I suppose I shall be. I just need to look one place more.”

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“No.”

“Would you like me to let you go alone?”

“No. I…I don’t want to be alone anymore.”

“Ok, I will come with you.” He followed Regina up the hill to medium sized rock-type structure. He had assumed it was supposed to act as a grave marker, so he stood back slightly while he watched her maneuver around it. She knelt into the grass behind it as he stood on by the end. David looked at her and she nodded, patting the ground beside her.

“This isn’t something I would normally share with someone. I prefer to mourn alone.” She took a deep breath before speaking again. “But, as I told you, I am tired of being alone. I don’t really have friends, Rumplestiltskin is less of an ally than I thought, I’ve lost my son, the only source of my happiness, and I don’t have my father or Daniel, the only two people who ever loved me.”

“Regina, I’m very sorry.”

“That’s what Snow White said. I brought her here. This was where the dwarves and Red found her after she ate a bite of the apple. This was where she was cursed. I showed her this and told her that Daniel died, that he didn’t leave me like I had originally told her.”

“Do you want to tell me the story?”

“No. Not today.”

“Alright.” David tentatively put a hand on her shoulder, but didn’t move otherwise. The pair just sat there as Regina mourned Daniel one more time. Her body wracked with sobs and she felt the weight of David’s hand on her shoulder. She was surprised that it didn’t bother her; she hardly ever let anyone touch her, unless it was Henry. It had been a long time since someone had cared enough for her to show her sympathy.

They sat there for possibly a half an hour before Regina nodded and David waved Aurora and Mulan over. Regina brushed her tears away, doing her best to compose herself while they other two women made their way toward them.

“We just have another couple of hours, I’m sorry for the delay,” Regina spoke once they were within hearing distance. She said nothing else, only choosing to turn and lead the way to the castle.


	4. Progress

When they arrived at Regina’s castle, David was shocked to see that it was in perfect condition. Sure, she had told him she protected it, but still it was strange to see something in pristine condition when everything they passed on their journey, except the stable land, was destroyed.

“So this is your castle?” David asked.

“No, I just thought I would stop into someone else’s abandoned castle for a free tour,” she smarmed.

“And she’s back ladies and gentlemen,” David said dryly, causing Regina to roll her eyes. She led the group through the castle, showing a bedchamber to the group and offering it to one of the women, not specifying which.

“I promised Prince Philip I would keep Aurora safe,” Mulan began. “Therefore I will not sleep in a separate bedchamber than her.”

“Very well,” Regina replied, waving her hand and conjuring another bed into the room. There is a bath in the far corner, should either of you desire one, you can find me down the hall and I can create a warm bath for you. Just let me know. Aurora,” she started, turning her attention to the princess. “This was Snow’s chamber when she was young, you should be able to find some suitable riding clothes or a less torn dress in the wardrobe. I’m sure she wouldn’t mind if you helped yourself to her things. You’re a bit taller than her, I think, and a bit narrower, but they may be more comfortable to travel in. As for you, Mulan, all of my warriors were large men, but I may be able to create another guard for you if you would like, otherwise, you may try Snow’s clothing as well.” Both women nodded to her and thanked her.

Regina led David to Graham’s bedchamber. It was next door to hers, it had been convenient for her to have him near for whenever she would feel her need for him grow. She walked in, followed closely by David. She dug through the shelves in his wardrobe, on the right side until she found a tan leather satchel. She held it up and held it close to her chest.

“I’ll be taking this, but feel free to help yourself to any of his clothing. He had many furs; they may be useful for warmth. There should be another bag around here…somewhere. You can use it to pack a few days worth of clothing. I will tell you the same as I told Mulan and Aurora, should you require a bath, do let me know, I will draw one for you.”

“With magic?”

“Yes, with magic. I will say that the convenience of not requiring help was amazing when you were evil and couldn’t trust many.” David nodded, not saying anything. “Anyway, my bedchamber is next door, feel free to come find me if you need anything. I’m going to go hunt in a little while for dinner. Hopefully I can find something worth eating.”

“Would you like a companion? I wouldn’t mind going with you. I’m a little worried about your mother being out there…she could hurt you.” David waved his hand to let her know it was ok for her to continue walking to her bedchamber. He chose to walk her to her door while they continued speaking.

“She could, but you wouldn’t be able to stop her anyway,” Regina stated with a shrug. “But if you desire to come with me, I won’t tell you that you can’t. I’ll come find you momentarily after I have found more comfortable clothing.”

“Yeah, I could probably use a change of clothes myself.” Regina waved her hand toward him and his clothing was clean. “Why would I need multiple outfits if you can just do that?”

“We are currently under the protection of a very strong protection spell on this castle. Out there, we will not be and I will have to be weary about what magic I use. If I use anything too powerful, or too much magic then it will be easier for my mother to find us.”

“Why is that?”

“Because though I have protected myself so that she can’t track me, she can still track my magic.”

“I’m sorry, I’m not sure I understand.”

“I mean…ok, when I poof away, you remember seeing that, yes?” He nodded. “Ok, well I have to think of my destination, so if I think about how I want to be in the kitchen, I can just poof myself there. Tracking is when you follow a particular person. For example, if I poofed myself while thinking of Mulan, I would show up in their room. I have a protection spell on myself so my mother can’t do that to me, and I will have to put one on each of you three before we leave. But you can’t put the protection on anything immaterial, so my magic can’t be protected. My mother could think of my magic and poof herself to where it was last used. So, if we are going to use magic out there, during our travels, it either needs to be extremely minimal or immediately before we leave the area, and I would still rather not even do it that way, because she could still find us on foot if we were nearby recently enough. Does that make sense?”

“Yeah, thanks for explaining it to me. I don’t really get the whole magic thing…its not familiar territory for me.”

“I understand, but now if you will excuse me, I’d prefer not to have a shepherd watch me while I change.” David shook his head and left. He didn’t understand why, every time she was nice or let her guard down, she turned right back around and said something insulting or sarcastic. Sometimes a biting tongue could be an attractive trait, wit can be well appreciated, but sometimes it was just…annoying.

Regina looked around her bedchamber, now alone. She actually didn’t want to be alone. Seeing the stables was exhausting, even if she knew beforehand that she would have to come across them. The pain of losing Daniel never seemed to get easier for her, perhaps because she never had closure, or because she had never given herself the chance to fall in love again. She had concentrated her efforts on revenge and then enacting the curse. After that came Storybrooke, full of the people she had cursed and she hadn’t particularly wanted to fall in love with any of them. Then the idea of a child had come across her and she received Henry.

She felt a pang in her heart at the thought of her son. She still wasn’t sure that she wanted to go home. She didn’t want him to think she was abandoning him, which was one reason to go home, aside from the fact that it would kill her to not see him everyday. But the list to not go back was so long. Emma was there now, she was his birth mother, she broke the curse, he had his savior, and he had his grandparents, Snow White and Prince Charming. He wouldn’t need her nor want her regardless of raising him by herself for the first ten years of his life. After the curse broke, she got her memories back, too. No, she hadn’t lost memories from her previous life, but she remembered making herself a potion to forget that Henry was the savior’s son. She remembered that her son was the grandson of Prince Charming and Snow White. He would never believe that she loved him so much after just days of having him that she used a memory potion on herself to take away her fears so she could keep him and love him fully. Regina sighed and walked over to her wardrobe, opening the doors.

She was pleased that of all the people in City Hall that day fighting the wraith it was David who fell through with her. She wouldn’t be able to tolerate having to walk around and search for a way back to Storybrooke with Snow; she would probably end up killing her. And as much as she didn’t want Emma around, after the blonde had broken the curse and saved their son with True Love’s Kiss, she knew that the other woman loved Henry and she knew she could count on her to protect him. If it had been just the Charmings left to care for him, she was certain that she could find her way back with Emma and Henry would never again want to see her and the belief that her hatred for Snow was based on appearances would be drilled further into Henry’s thoughts. At least in this case she could hope that Emma would, with her past, prevent Henry from being exposed to too much negativity about the woman who raised him. She shook her head and searched through her wardrobe.

She found a pair of tan riding pants and dark brown leather riding boots. Pulling both on, she laced the boots all the way up to her knees and searched for a shirt to wear. She decided against an ordinary shirt and, after shedding her blazer, vest and blouse, she pulled on a dark brown leather vest, buttoning the front. It was low cut, but not any worse than the clothes she wore in Storybrooke. She knew it would be the least messy thing to wear to hunt. She pulled on a deep purple riding coat and wrapped a belt around her ribs that matched the vest, buckling it in front of her to keep the riding coat in place. The front of the purple material started at the tops of her thighs, angling down so the back came at a wide point at the backs of her knees. She put on the satchel she had taken from Graham’s room, crossing it over her chest, and then she added the quiver strap across her chest and hung her bow on her arm. She transported a bowl from the kitchen and left her room, heading to Graham’s former room to find David.

Regina knocked on the door, waiting for him to open it. She didn’t wait long before he came out in black riding pants and a white shirt with sleeves that would have been loose on Graham but hugged David’s muscles. He had a tan leather vest buttoned over the white shirt, she didn’t recall Graham ever wearing it, but it seemed to fit David well enough. He had his own work boots from Storybrooke on and a belt around his hips that held his sword sheath, his sword hanging against his hip.

“Ready?” she asked.

“Yes. Do you have another bow I can use? Or do you intend to be the only one hunting?”

“I’ll be the only one hunting, dear. I’ve seen you with your sword, you’re sub-par at best, how you killed a dragon I will never understand. I don’t trust you with flying weapons.”

“Oh, Regina,” he started in a sickly sweet tone. “You’re so sweet. I don’t understand why you don’t have people constantly attached at your side.” Regina rolled her eyes at him and shoved the bowl she was holding into his hands.

“You can collect berries or herbs that we find.”

“That’s extremely…humbling.”

“Well, I apologize if it isn’t a manly enough task for you, dear. Feel free to scratch yourself and grunt while doing it, just don’t touch the food with whichever hand you use to scratch.” David sighed and ignored her, figuring that any response he gave would just fuel her further. Regina didn’t want to disturb the other women, so she used a mirror to check in on them, and they were both sleeping. She waved the image away and led the way out of the castle. David wasn’t the worst companion for the hunt either. He was silent, light-footed, which she would never have expected from him. She was hoping that she could find a deer to kill, it would give them enough meat to use for the next couple of days, but if she had to kill smaller game, she would have to get more than one.

They came across a small clearing after twenty minutes of walking. The pair rested against a thick tree, Regina facing straight across the clearing and David facing the far left corner of it. Neither of them said anything for a while, not until David spotted a doe coming from the left side of the clearing, walking slowly. He nudged Regina and pointed, her eyes following his finger. She stepped away from the tree and slowly pulled an arrow from her quiver and set it against the bow, drawing it back to prepare for the kill. David noticed her pull was slightly off and her aim would be compromised. He didn’t want to verbalize it in case the deer would hear, so he leaned his left arm over, grasping her left hand, which was holding the bow and pushing it just a fraction of an inch to the right. He then reached his right arm up so his hand rested on her right elbow and he pulled it back just slightly.

He whispered against her ear, “Now shoot.” Regina released the arrow and watched it soar through the air and strike the deer straight through the heart, likely slicing through its lungs on the way through. She decided that was good, she had wanted to make it painless for the animal. She slung her bow back over her shoulder and began to cross the clearing. David kept pace with her and they soon were at the deer’s side. Regina knelt onto the ground and pulled the arrow out, flinching slightly at the squishing sound it made.

“I never took you for the queasy type.”

“I’m not,” she snapped before she could compose herself. When she spoke again her tone was softer. “I just am weird with sounds is all. How…how did you know my aim was off? You weren’t even at my angle and you barely moved my shot.”

“Who do you think helped Snow perfect her aim? A bow and arrow set was my first weapon. Do you have any rope in that bag?” She nodded, pulling some out. She had placed it in there earlier, assuming she would want it even for a small animal. She watched as David tied the rope around the deer’s neck and he continued telling his story. “I lived on a farm and we didn’t have much money. You know I was a shepherd. Anyway, my father died long before he could teach me much, but I traded one of our sheep for my first bow and arrow. I trained myself to kill game because mostly we lived off bread, fruits and vegetables. We didn’t want to kill our sheep to trade for food because we needed them for wool to sell. Anyway, I got to be really good at it and I grew to love it. It gave me some time to get out on my own into the woods. And it gave me time to think.”

Regina didn’t know how to respond to the open and easy story he told. It wasn’t flattering, but it didn’t make her think any less of him either. Actually, if she was _completely_ honest with herself, she would have to admit that it made her think a little better of him. His story made him more of a person to her and less Snow White’s Prince Charming. He finished tying the rope and he dragged the deer behind him. David offered her the bowl with a smug smile on his face.

“Your majesty, it looks like you’ll be picking the berries and herbs. That is…unless you would like to drag the deer.”

“Better hold your tongue Prince _Charming_ before I capture it and you can’t talk at all.” She snatched the bowl from his hand before he could respond and she stalked off ahead of him in a slight tantrum, causing him to chuckle at her, shaking his head as he followed behind and watched her gather.

 

When they got back to the castle they heard chatter coming from one of the parlor rooms. They walked by the open door and peered in to see Mulan and Aurora sitting and talking in the chairs by the bare fireplace. Regina stepped into the room and summoned wood to the fireplace and conjured a fireball to toss at the wood. Once the fire was burning she gave a small smile to the other women.

“We killed a deer,” Regina stated, waving her hand toward the doorway where David was still standing. They could see a small part of the deer from where they were in the room and both women smiled back at Regina.

“You will have to skin and quarter it, I would be willing to do it for you,” Mulan said.

“That’s quite alright, dear. I will be able to do it with magic quickly and easily. I just wanted to check that you were comfortable before we headed to the kitchen. I see you both found different clothing.” Aurora was wearing a pale blue riding coat with tan riding pants and a white blouse underneath, boots adorning her feet and Mulan was in an entirely black ensemble, made up of the same articles Aurora was wearing.

“Indeed we have. Snow’s boots are a bit large for my feet, but they should work,” Aurora smiled.

“My feet are slightly smaller than hers, after the meat is taken care of, I will get you a pair to try on.”

“Thank you.” Regina nodded and headed back out of the room to lead David to the kitchen. The walk was long, as the bedchambers were on the third floor of the castle, though the entrance they used led directly to that floor. The kitchen and other service rooms were on the first floor, with the dining hall being on the second. When they came to the staircase, David lifted the deer and slung it over his shoulders for an easier method of transporting it down the steps.

An uninvited thought ran across Regina’s mind as she watched him lift the deer that had to easily be 150 pounds or more. She imagined the things he could do with a woman using his strength. She immediately stomped the thought out, reminding herself that he was Snow’s and he was annoying. Though, he had not annoyed her much this day, _much_ being the key word. She thought of how much she missed Graham being around, he was a _mostly_ good companion, and he wasn’t bad in bed…and it had been far too long since she had slept with someone. Her body ached at the thought and she once again shook it off, continuing to lead David to the kitchen. He set the dear on a long table in the center of the kitchen. She skinned the deer and separated the parts, wrapping them in parchment and setting their cooling room back to cool before leaving the extra meat in there. Magic was very convenient, and she couldn’t recall what the servants had done when Leopold was around and her magic was not known.

She dug out a pot and a skillet, putting the meat into the latter and using some of the deer fat to act as grease for the pan. She filled the pot with water and added the herbs she picked to it. She set the fires and began browning the venison and boiling the water. Once the venison was completely browned, she poured the contents of the skillet into the pot, holding back some grease, and left the venison to finish cooking in the water while creating a broth. She looked in cabinets for ingredients to make a loaf of bread.

“What are you searching for?”

“Yeast and flour.”

“Would is still be good?”

“Well…essentially the curse froze time here, too, so yes, it would only be a few days old.”

“That curse was really strong, huh?”

“Yes. Though, I didn’t create it, so I don’t really know as much about it as I thought I did.”

“You didn’t create it?”

“No. I just cast it,” she answered, pulling her hand out of a cupboard, holding a bag of yeast and a bag of flour. “This bread won’t be great, it won’t have enough time to properly rise, but at least we will have a heavy carb.” She warmed some water, pouring it in a bowl and added yeast and flour to it, tossing in a pinch of salt. She kneaded it only for a moment before setting it to the side on the counter to rise.

“So who created the curse?”

“Who do you think, David? I know you and Snow have matching wits, but I would at least hope you could be a little more intelligent than her, having had to take care of yourself for a longer period of time and not having lived a coddled and sheltered childhood.”

David rolled his eyes and scrunched his face at her insult. “Rumplestiltskin?” he asked.

“Indeed. He used me to cast it, I don’t know why so don’t ask. He set a series of events to happen that he needed to make sure occurred and he destroyed many more lives than I did, he just wasn’t questioned the way I was.”

“Why do you think that is?”

“He’s a man, nobody ever questions men on their intentions. And…he’s the Dark One; bad things are just expected from him. But you take a decently attractive woman and give her power and authority, people are automatically afraid of her, even before she has the chance to prove they should be scared.”

“You’re talking about yourself?”

“Gee, David, how could you tell?”

“It wasn’t clear…you have to know you’re more than decently attractive,” he answered in a soft voice. His eyes were searching her face for a reaction. He shook his head. He had only been away from his wife for three days…no, really he had been away from his wife for 28 years, but it still wasn’t right of him to discuss another woman’s beauty with said woman. Still, he felt slightly estranged from Snow, since they had been separated so long and therefore felt slightly less guilty.

Regina narrowed her eyes at him, not fiercely, more questioningly. “Thank you,” she said in a slow voice.

“No need to sound so suspicious of me, it’s not like anyone, married or not, would deny it. I mean…the outfits you traipsed around in as the Evil Queen, and the equally attention drawing clothing you wore as mayor never really left much to make someone wonder about the assets you used to your advantage.”

“Trust me, _Charming_ , you’ve seen nothing of my assets.” She leaned in toward his face, her voice seductive and low. Her eyes shifted between his bright blue ones until she realized that, out of habit, she was flirting. She pulled back and mentally scolded herself. _You cannot flirt with him, he’s taken and you don’t want him._ She smirked at the voice inside her head, her voice of reason. _How much fun it would be, though, to have Snow’s prince and ruin their relationship_. Her darker and more dangerous thoughts amused her more, but she moved further away from David and finished preparing their meal.

They sat in silence at the table while Regina let the contents in the pot simmer and she checked the dough frequently to see how it was rising. It was slow, but she let it rise for half an hour before grabbing the skillet she had browned the venison in and she pressed the dough into it. She put it in the oven to let it cook and sat down again at the table, this time closer to David, immediately next to him to be exact. She sighed, not wanting to talk about Storybrooke because it was too much, and they had actually had a fairly enjoyable day, but she knew he was anxious to get back.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, noticing her heavy exhale.

“I’m not sure how we’re going to get you back to Storybrooke.”

“Again with the idea that you aren’t going back.”

“Well…David, you can’t very well make me go back.”

“Why not?”

“Because I’m my own person and I make my own choices!” she snapped. She hated when people tried making decisions for her, too many people had done it for far too long in her life, and if they hadn’t been making her choices it was because they were too busy manipulating her into making the choices they wanted her to make.

David raised his hands, palms facing her in surrender with an apologetic look on his face. “I didn’t mean for it to sound like I was actually going to make you…more like I would try to convince you.”

“I’m sorry…for snapping at you.”

“It’s fine. Really.” He paused, contemplating how to bring up Henry again. “Regina…I know that the past…well I don’t actually know how much time it was because my memory of time during the curse is skewed, but your time with Henry lately has been hard, I get that. And I could tell, when you made me dinner that night, that Henry not being around often was truly hurting you. So…how can you truly consider not going back?”

“This is not a story for this moment, David.”

“You’ve been saying that a lot…and I will tell you that I remember things really well. And I’m going to bring up all of the things that you’ve told me are stories for a different time again, and again until you tell me them.”

“Why? Why do you care?” she asked exasperated.

“Because I kind of think of you as a friend.”

She raised her eyebrow. “You consider me a friend?”

“Well, David Nolan did, even if it was fake on your end. And…you’re not so bad some of the time, you know, when you’re not yelling at me or calling me stupid in various ways.”

“It wasn’t.”

“Wasn’t what?” he asked, his eyebrow raising and his eyes curious.

“My friendship with your Storybrooke altar ego…it wasn’t fake. Maybe at first it was because I was trying to push you with Kathryn so you would stay away from Mary Margaret, but when you came over that night for dinner, I really did enjoy your company. And…that rejection really did hurt me. Not because I was really interested, but because if David Nolan couldn’t be attracted to me…” she let her sentence trail off, not finishing because she didn’t want to lead his thinking one way or the other.

“I probably shouldn’t say this…I—it might be inappropriate, but you’re making me a little sad right now, so I’m going to. As David Nolan…I was _very_ attracted to you. If I hadn’t had so much going on…the separating from my fake wife and pissing off Mary Margaret to the point that she wanted nothing to do with me…I probably would have slept with you.”

Regina looked taken aback, her mouth dropping open momentarily before she snapped it shut and her eyes widened. She thought over many different responses she could give, including scratching an itch that badly needed to be scratched, but she couldn’t. David told her that because he wanted to make her feel better, and she felt pleased that someone cared enough to worry about her being sad. And now she felt obligated. Obligated to behave herself and not seduce him to hurt Snow, because in the end it _would_ hurt him, too. And maybe having a friend wouldn’t be so bad.

“Well…thank you. For the compliment.”

David nodded and gave her a closed-mouth smile. “Yeah.”


	5. Plan A

The next couple of days they were contained to the castle due to bad weather, making all of them thankful that Regina had found yeast and flour to make bread, and had killed such a large animal for their food. Their supply was dwindling, though, and Regina found that someone would have to go hunting and gathering the next day, probably after morning. They had been in the Enchanted Forest for 6 days at that point. The group was sitting around eating their dinner on that sixth night, discussing options for how to get out of the forest and back to their homes.

“Are there any beans?” David asked.

“What…like beanstalk beans?” Regina asked.

“Yeah.”

“You’ve not heard this story?”

“No.”

“Your lovely brother destroyed them all. James and Jack destroyed them and all the giants, all but one giant, anyway. James was such a dear person.”

“Like you can talk about killing.”

“I never wiped out an entire species.”

“No, just entire villages!”

“They were committing treason against their Queen!”

“By not giving up their Princess!” David yelled back at her. The pair had been doing this several times over their days locked up in the castle together. They would scream and yell at each other about the stupidest and silliest arguments, things that didn’t even matter to their lives, and then David would apologize, Regina would accept (but never would apologize in return) and they would moved on, telling each other stories for entertainment.

Regina growled and left the table, heading to her bedchambers for the evening. David stood up and looked at Aurora and Mulan.

“I apologize for our constant arguments. We are used to being enemies…and trying to get along is…difficult to say the least,” David said, standing up and putting his and Regina’s dishes into the sink. “You can leave the dishes for tonight since Regina didn’t fill the sink. I’ll have her do that later and I’ll clean up. You two have a good night.”

 

After David left the kitchen, Aurora looked at Mulan.

“Why do you think they really argue so much?”

“I think that…I believe they are starting to enjoy each other’s company, but they are supposed to be sworn enemies. That’s a large barrier to cross.”

“Perhaps. I think they like each other,” Aurora said.

“I do not agree with you,” Mulan answered with a shrug.

 

David walked up to his chambers, opening the door and walking inside. He stood there a minute before groaning and turning back out of his room. Walking the short distance to Regina’s door, he knocked.

“Come in,” she called, knowing who it was. David pushed open the door, closing it behind him. She was sitting on a chaise lounge by the fireplace in her room. There was wood burning in the small space and Regina was watching the fire. Walking over to her, David sat on a large cushioned bench across a small coffee table from her.

“I…I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have brought up your past. James and I had nothing to do with each other and I shouldn’t have attacked you in defense of him.”

“It’s not your fault. I _was_ a terrible person.”

“You were a misguided person,” he argued, standing up and moving to sit next to her on the lounge.

“Why do you find the need to defend me? To yourself, nonetheless?”

“Because, maybe you haven’t really opened up much to me, not yet anyway, but you will. And even if you don’t, you have still shown me kindness since we’ve been here, and I can’t understand why, but I would like to know.” She nodded and offered him a small smile. He patted her shoulder and stood up to leave. When he got to the door, Regina spoke again.

“David?” He turned to look at her. She was wearing a light blue nightgown, one that flowed around her curves and came to just above her knees. It had thin straps and a sweetheart neckline. He enjoyed the soft flush her skin had from sitting close to the fire, though he scolded himself for that thought.

“What can I do for you?” he asked gently.

“Would you like me to tell you one of my stories? I don’t want to be alone right now…and I was thinking I could trade you a story for your company?”

“I would love to hear one of your stories, but if you aren’t ready to tell them, I am fine with keeping you company free of charge,” he answered, winking at her.

“Come, sit.” She patted the spot next to her, giving him the ok to join her back on the lounge. “I have one stipulation to you getting a story from me, though.”

“What’s that?”

“You have to tell me a story.”

“Any story?”

“Sure. Tell me…one of the bravest things you have done.”

“Alright. But…you tell me something first. Tell me why you hate the Blue Fairy.”

“When I was a child, right from when I was three or four, my mother would use magic to discipline me. If I didn’t obey, or I was clumsy, if I forgot something or didn’t act like a lady, she would punish me. Often times she would hang me in the air with magic, just hanging there. She’d wrap me up with straps or vines or branches. Whatever she had nearby, I guess. My father, I loved him and I do know he loved me, but he was afraid of her. He wouldn’t stop her from hurting me. So every night I cried, right from the first time all the way until I gave up before I met Daniel, I begged for a fairy to grant my wish. My only wish was to be given a mother who would love me. To be given a mother who wouldn’t look at me constantly like a disappointment. But no fairy ever came. It was…I didn’t understand what I had ever done to deserve that. And as Blue is the head of the fairies…I’ve always hated her because of it.”

“Regina…I—“ David started, but he was stopped when Regina raised her hand, palm facing him.

“Please, David, don’t. There’s nothing to be done about it now. Just tell me your story.”

“Well then, do you know the legend of how Lake Nostos dried up?”

Regina shook her head. “No, just that it was a prince,” she paused to look at him. “Surely not you?”

“I fell in love with Snow after I was betrothed to Abigail. But she had a True Love, too, whom Midas had turned to gold. I never really got the story on whether it was on purpose or not, but that doesn’t really matter. When I escaped to avoid Abigail, she found me, but was willing to let me leave. When I asked her why, she told me of her Frederick. But he was turned to gold and her kiss couldn’t undo the curse because the gold was in the way.

“She said that the water from one Lake Nostos could return something to its original, un-cursed state. I said I would get the water, we could break the curse from Frederick, and she would marry him, leaving me free to marry Snow. When I went to the lake, there was a Siren. She took the form of Snow, sexier than I had ever seen Snow, because…well, you know how she is.” Regina and David chuckled slightly at the joke before he continued. “So, she seduced me, but I stopped her, and I killed her, taking some water and leaving. But without its inhabitant, the Siren, the lake dried up.”

“It _was_ you. Wow.” Regina stared at David for a moment, thinking before she stood up quickly and paced the room. “David! That’s it! We need to use Lake Nostos! Your stupid wardrobe! We can take it back home if we return the magical properties to it with the water from the lake!”

“There are two problems with that. First, there is no water in the lake. Second, the wardrobe could only carry one!”

“That’s not true, David. All enchanted trees had enough magic to carry two or more. It’s not possible that it could only carry one. There was a boy that was sent through the wardrobe before Emma.”

“No…Blue wouldn’t lie to us!”

“David, I’m telling you, she is _not_ trustworthy.”

“Regina…please, swear to me. Swear to me on everything you love that you aren’t lying to me.” Regina stopped pacing and walked up in front of him, taking his hands into hers and pulling him to stand up. One they were both standing, Regina tilted her head back to look into his piercing blue eyes.

“David, I swear on everything that I love, I am not lying to you. It can carry two, it can carry both of us, and it could have carried Snow and Emma, instead of just Emma.” The look in David’s eyes was so pained that it reminded Regina of how much pain she felt when Henry told her Emma was his real mom. It was the look of someone who just realized that they had lost their child when they hadn’t really needed to. “I’m sorry, David. I wish I could tell you it wasn’t true.”

He nodded, realizing she was still holding his hands. Pulling his away from her dainty fingers, he scratched the back of his head.

“Alright. So, when do you want to leave?”

“Leave?”

“To go to Lake Nostos?”

“Well David, I really think we should go to your castle first. We need to see if the wardrobe is even still there before we make a trip to the lake to get the water.”

“Oh, yeah. The water, how are you going to make that work?”

“Magic. There’s always more water underneath the soil, right? In this case it will be underneath the sand.”

“You really think that will work?” he asked. He was ecstatic. He couldn’t wait to get back home. Being here…being away from his family was too hard. It was too much and he wasn’t going to be able to last much longer if he was.

“I’m not one hundred percent certain, but pretty close, I’d say eighty-five,” Regina added, excitedly. Unable to contain his pleasure, David reached for Regina and wrapped his arms around her waist, lifting her off the ground and spinning her. She chuckled lightly, loosely hanging her arms over his shoulders just before he set her down.

“Sorry…” he whispered, once she was on her feet, though neither had pulled away.

“That’s fine. You’re excited, I understand. You get to go home to…Snow and Emma.”

“And now you can go home to Henry.”

“David, I don’t know.”

“Please? Henry needs you. You’ve raised him his entire life.” Regina used the opportunity to remove her arms from him and turn away.

“He may need me, but he doesn’t want me and there is no arguing that. If I come back I’ll just be heartbroken all over. He won’t want me and then I’ll return to having nothing, David.”

“Regina, that’s not true. He _will_ want you. And…you’ll have me. We’re kind of friends now, right? I’d like you to be there.”

“You’re pretty confident that your friendship is worth my misery.”

“No,” he argued with a wry grin. “Just confident that my friendship and Henry’s love will be enough to make you happy.” Walking closer to her back, David had to fight the urge to wrap her in his arms and pull her against him.

“Perhaps,” she answered in a low voice.

“So…when do we head out?”

“We’ll leave in the morning. We’ll need to see if we can find any horses anywhere. It will be a long journey, otherwise.”

“Two days walk?”

“That’s likely, possibly three if we run into any obstacles.”

“Hey Regina,” David hesitated, tapping her on the side of her waist to make her turn back to him, and when she did she pointedly glared at his hand. “Do you think I can have a bow and some arrows for this journey? Mulan mentioned that the ogres are back and I can’t really kill them with a sword.”

Regina nodded and told him that in the morning she would take him to her weapons room.

 

The next morning, Regina woke before anyone else. She took to the kitchen, cleaning the dishes from the night before and preparing a small breakfast for them. After everyone had eaten and Regina told Mulan and Aurora that they would need to head out to David’s former castle, the other two women went upstairs and packed their supplies.

Regina took David to the castle’s weapon room. She smiled as his mouth gaped open, taking in all of the swords and various other weapons. Regina walked to the wall and took one of her own daggers, a personal favorite and slid it into her boot, putting the one she received from Lancelot onto the new empty spot on the wall. She grabbed a nicer bow and a sturdier quiver for herself. David walked to the wall and found a bow that would suit him well, picking a leather quiver filled with arrows.

“You can grab a different sword as well, if you’d like. The ones in here are much…nicer than the one you borrowed.”

“Really?” David asked excitedly.

“Yes. Help yourself.” Grabbing a sword with a gold hilt and purple gemstones embedded into either side, David pulled it from its sheath to glance it over.

“This is…a really nice sword. Are you sure you don’t mind?”

“Consider it yours.” David returned her small smile with a nod and the pair headed up to their bedchambers. “We’ll meet out here in fifteen minutes. Gather some extra clothing. Did you find an extra satchel?”

“I did.”

“Good. It’ll be cold at night. We’ve had comfort in my castle, but do not let that deceive you into forgetting how cold it gets here at night.”

“Eh, it’s summer, it can’t be too bad.”

Regina shrugged. “Suit yourself. But I have packed two sets of supplies, bowls silverware, blankets and a pillow for us each. We should be able to make shelter this time when we rest.”

“Thank you, Regina. I know that you could choose to neglect helping me, or you could make this journey as difficult as possible on me. But you’re being amazing and I can’t quite tell you how much I appreciate that.”

“Of course,” she answered. “I’ll see you out here in a little bit.”

 

She changed into black riding pants, charcoal gray riding boots, a white shirt, leaving the top several buttons undone, and a dark purple and black riding coat. It came to the back of her ankles with a slit in the middle of the back all the way up to her thighs so she could ride a horse easily if they were to find any. Using her magic, she set her hair in a style that held it off her face, and looked reminiscent of her Evil Queen days. She fit replacement underwear and two fresh shirts into the satchel she had taken from Graham’s room their first day at the castle, and sighed. They intended to come back here, but she didn’t know that it would be soon, or really if it would even be possible.

 

After hours of travelling, the group stopped to take a break in a small enclosure of trees just off of a large field that they had to cross. Mulan informed them before they arrived at the edge that the area they were in was heavily plagued by ogres and that they would need to be ready to kill when they crossed. David unhooked his canteen from his hip and took a heavy sip, offering it to Regina when he was done. Mulan and Aurora shared the warrior’s and the group relaxed quietly for several long moments.

“So the ogres…they have destroyed all of the lands?” David asked.

“We don’t know, but all of the lands that we have travelled, yes,” Mulan answered.

“They’ve just been roaming the lands the whole time, destroying everything?”

“Yes. That’s how it seems.”

“Okay then, let’s prepare ourselves for battle,” David stated, pushing himself off the ground to stand. Reaching down, he offered a hand to Regina in assistance, which she took hesitantly. Turning to offer the same to the other women, he saw them already standing. Just about to draw their bows, Regina and David looked up at the feeling of the ground shaking.


	6. The First Battle

“Time to go,” David breathed. All at once he felt an explosion of different feelings; fear, excitement, self-doubt, underprepared, willing. But mostly, he felt protective. Protective of Regina, mostly. He shook off that feeling, worried it would prevent him from fighting properly, but he couldn’t let his grandson’s mother die. Regina stood next to him, both had their bows drawn and Aurora was cowering behind Mulan. “Get behind me, face opposite me and we’ll walk against each other to the middle of the clearing. You ready?”

“Of course I’m ready,” Regina answered, turning herself so her back touched his. Her boots here were hardly heeled and he was so much taller than her that her head barely reached the top of his shoulders, but she stood defiant and ready, pushing against him so he knew she was ready when he was. David began walking and the pair stayed touching the entire time, shooting and reaching for their arrows whenever they had an open shot. They each had taken down 2 ogres by time they were finally in the middle of the clearing. They had both been concentrating on the space in front of them, and they both shot at two ogres coming from Regina’s right that they didn’t realize there was one coming from her left.

The ogre smashed his hand against the pair, sending them flying across the field. Regina landed hard on her back, her quiver pushing into her muscles and David’s legs slammed hard against her abdomen, successfully knocking her breath out of her. After scrambling off her and checking she was still alive, (though she was unconscious) David drew his bow and shot an arrow straight into the eye of the ogre that had knocked them aside.

Mulan and Aurora dragged Regina to the edge of the field, Mulan taking Regina’s quiver and bow and assisting David with the rest of the ogres. By time they were finished, the field was littered with ten dead ogres. Walking around the bodies, David pulled all of the arrows from their eyes, wiping them on his pants and shoving them all into his quiver. He walked back to where Aurora was pressing a wet cloth to Regina’s forehead.

“I know you probably want to tend to her,” Mulan began, before David could say anything. “But we need to move. There may not be more…but it is also quite possible that there will be.”

“I shouldn’t move her until she wakes. What if she is having pain in her back…moving her could paralyze her!”

“Not moving her could kill her, Prince David.”

“David is fine, please.” He thought a moment, looking Regina over and deciding what to do. “I suppose you’re right. I’ll try to wake her, and if I can’t then I’ll carry her.” David crouched over Regina and Aurora moved to the side. Shaking her shoulder gently, David spoke to her, “Regina. Regina I need you to wake up.” His voice was soothing, comforting and he found it disconcerting on himself. He wasn’t supposed to be gentle with this woman. They were enemies. But that wasn’t true…they were becoming friends and Regina took care of him fairly well, it was his turn to do the same. “Regina, please? I really need you to tell me if you’re in pain.” He still didn’t get a response, so David sighed and asked Mulan to carry Regina’s pack. Hoisting his own onto his back, David knelt and lifted Regina in a cradle, one arm behind her knees and the other around her shoulders. Aurora tucked the Queen’s arms onto her stomach so they wouldn’t be flopping around and the group set out for a safe place to rest.

They hiked for an hour before they found a river in an area thick with trees. Huffing from the extra weight of carrying Regina, no matter how small she is, David lowered her down gently onto the ground and dropped his pack. Taking Regina’s pack from Mulan, he set up the small shelter for her, small pillow and blanket included. He then lowered her into it, laying her to rest until she came back to consciousness. Mulan hunted while Aurora tended to the Queen and David set a fire. It took nearly an hour more before Regina woke. Rushing to her side, David helped her sit up.

“How are you feeling?” he asked earnestly.

“Let’s see…I was knocked aside by an ogre and clearly knocked out. And considering this looks nothing like the area I was knocked unconscious in,” she started, looking around at her surroundings, “I must have been out for some time. How do you think I am, _Charming_?”

“Right. Sorry. Yes, you’ve been out somewhere around two hours.”

“And how did we get here?”

“We walked. What do you mean, ‘how did we get here?’”

“I mean…you carried me?”

“Yes.”

“The whole way? For how long?”

“Just an hour.”

“Oh. Well…thank you.”

“Of course. Uh…there’s a river through the brush there, if you wanted to wash up or anything. Mulan is hunting, she should be back soon, I think.”

“Yes…perhaps I’ll do that. Am I correct to assume we’re going to stay here tonight?”

“I don’t see why not. We’ve already set up your camp.”

“Yes, but we’re losing good daylight hours.”

“I’m not letting you travel anymore today. You need to rest.”

“Letting me? Who are you to _let_ me do anything?” Regina demanded. Huffing, she grabbed her satchel with a towel she had packed and headed in the direction David had told her of the river.

Once she arrived, she angrily stripped herself of her clothing, tossing everything to the side by her bag and towel. Stepping into the water, she walked to the middle of the river for the deepest point, which came to just above her navel. Regina cupped the water in her hands and brought it above her head, letting the water run over her face and her hair. Repeating the action until she was completely wet and her hair entirely damp, Regina ran her hands over her face and tried to breathe deeply. She was frustrated with David and his words. Frustrated because _who_ did he think he was saying he wasn’t going to let her do something. Frustrated because he cared. Frustrated beyond belief because…god was she getting lonely. It had been too long since Graham.

She had been standing in the river for well over fifteen minutes, thankful that the temperature was lukewarm. She turned to head out of the water, but stopped a moment longer, cupping water one more time to bring and pour down her neck. The water trickled over her cooled skin and she looked up and noticed David walking through the trees toward her. Just as she noticed him, he looked up and their eyes caught, both stopping their motions and standing still, shocked at the moment. Blue eyes shifted down her wet body, lingering over her breasts and dropping down the flat expanse of her stomach. Finally able to move, Regina waved her hand and David was facing away as she made her way slowly to the shore.

“Regina…you used magic,” David breathed, his eyes wide and filled with fear. Picking up her clothes, David turned and tossed them to Regina as quickly as he could. Neither addressed what had just happened between them, they didn’t have time. “What do we do?”

“We need to get to Mulan and Aurora. Then we have to move as quickly as we can.”

“But your castle…it has a protection spell, can’t you poof us all there?”

“Then we lose our progress!”

“I’d rather lose progress than our lives! Regina…you’re the one that told me how dangerous your mother is.” David’s eyes raked across her body as they walked, Regina was just finishing pulling her white shirt over her shoulders and beginning to button it. David was holding her boots in his hands, and her riding coat over his arm. She only buttoned four buttons on her shirt, concerned with saving time and not dressing properly at the moment.

“Fine…you want to do that, we can. But it’s not just the progress we’ve made today that we’ll lose, using enough magic to transfer us all back to the castle will put my energy level down for…I don’t know really how long, I haven’t used that much magic at once in a long time.”

“Will you be ok?”

“Of course.”

“Then it’s worth it! It isn’t worth your life if your mother is out to kill you.”

They arrived back to their camp, and her disheveled appearance set something off with Mulan and Aurora, who began gathering their things.

“I’m not worried about any of the shelter supplies, anything really, I have it all at my castle and more. We need to go. Did you find food?”

“I did.” Mulan held up a swan. Regina smirked lightly, kicking dirt at the fire to put it out.

“Keep hold of it, we won’t be able to leave my castle to hunt for a couple of days. My mother will be able to track that I used magic here, but she shouldn’t know we’re at my castle, not by tracking anyway. She will likely put the pieces together and be watching. Are you all ready?” Looking at the other three and taking in their nods, she grabbed David’s hand and Mulan’s, signaling that they each grab one of Aurora’s hands as well. After checking that everyone had their weapons and Graham’s satchel was on David’s shoulder, she vanished the entire group in a cloud of thick purple smoke and they all reappeared in the bedchamber hall of her castle.

Upon their landing, Regina sunk quickly to the floor. David figured that like she said, the amount of magic would wear her out, and that on top of being knocked unconscious just earlier probably didn’t help. David asked Mulan to take care of the game in the kitchen and he would tend to Regina. Aurora was hesitant to leave, making David wonder why, but Mulan just pressed a hand to the redhead’s arm and shook her head quickly. Once again lifting her in a cradle, David carried Regina to her room and laid her on the bed. He went back to close the door and emptied the canteen on his hip onto a cloth he found near her bathing area.

Pressing the wet cloth to her forehead, David sat on the edge of the bed next to her hip. He was sitting to her left, his left hip against hers, and his left arm hovering over her body and holding her right hand against the bed. Stroking slow circles into her palm, he used his right hand to continue patting the cloth against her forehead. His eyes wandered over her body again, though he tried not to let them. He could see tan skin above the highest button she had clasped, which was the fourth button from the collar; it was also the button that was just over top of her bra. The last button she had done up was just above her navel, so he could see plenty of tan skin on her stomach as well. She was surprisingly toned, not that she looked out of shape; she just always seemed to be too busy to work out. But the proof was there, hiding under the shirt he so badly wanted to remove and let his hands roam her body.

 _Fuck, David. Stop thinking like that. You’re married._ His thoughts fought back and forth. Not that he would ever do anything with a woman who was lying there unconscious anyway. That didn’t stop him from imagining what he wanted to do when she woke up. It had been too long since he’d been with a woman. And seeing the top half of her completely exposed and wet in that river had been almost too much. Looking back to her face, David saw her eyes begin to flutter open and he wondered how long he had been sitting there admiring her beauty. Chocolate eyes looked up at him in confusion.

“You’ve been unconscious three times already since we’ve been in the Enchanted Forest…I’m beginning to wonder if this place isn’t too dangerous for you,” he teased in a whisper. Regina gave him a light smile.

Waking up to his face…his shocking blue eyes looking at her…it wasn’t the worst thing she could imagine. It had only been a week that they’d been here and things were changing too much between the two of them. She had to get him home quickly…before her feelings became too strong…before either of them did something about the growing sexual tension between them.

“Perhaps it is,” she answered. Her eyes raked his worried features, his strong nose…she really liked his nose. She reached her hand up and placed it on his cheek, her fingertips brushing his eyebrow and temple, her thumb tracing the scar on his chin. “Thank you for taking care of me.”

“Of course.” David paused, taking her hand in his and pulling it away from his face. If she kept touching him he wouldn’t be able to stop himself from kissing her. “Regina…look I’m, I am really sorry about earlier. I was coming to tell you that the fire died out and to get the matches from your satchel. Seeing you…like that was surprising, I just assumed you would be simply washing your face and hands. It’s not an excuse for my being inappropriate, but I wouldn’t ever cross your boundaries like that intentionally.”

Pushing herself up against the headboard, Regina smiled at him. “I know. I’m…I’m sorry I used magic on you. And I’m sorry that I set us back a couple of days. I know you want to get home.”

“I don’t blame you for either, it was an instinct. And…I would rather be set back than have you harmed. I meant that. And so we got set back a couple of days…it’s not a huge deal. You’re not such bad company.” David ran one hand down her cloth-covered shin, squeezing it gently. “Should I go find some water so you can bathe?”

“NO!” Realizing she had shouted, Regina lowered her tone before speaking again. “You must not leave the castle, David. She’ll find you. You can’t be harmed. I can’t…I wouldn’t be able to explain your being harmed. Please don’t do anything foolish.”

“A week ago you would have said ‘stupid.’”

“A week ago we weren’t…friends. David, you cannot be reckless, ok? I would have to give that news to my son, your daughter and…your wife. I can’t deliver that news.”

“How do we bathe, cook and clean, then?”

“I should be able to conjure enough magic to cook and clean tonight…probably enough for bathing by tomorrow night.”

“Then aren’t you lucky that you cleaned off in the river today?”

Chuckling, Regina smiled and spoke, “Quite. Unfortunately for you…you didn’t get the bath, just the show.” There was a glint in her eye, mischievousness showing through.

“Yes, I did get the show…and more, while we were walking and you were dressing. That was pretty talented by the way. I’ve never seen someone get dressed while walking.” David smiled at her, his teasing made her blush lightly and he wanted to make that happen more. She was so beautiful completely bare of make up…her cheeks slightly pink and her eyes dancing. And her smile…her smile he would never find one to compare to.

When Regina spoke again, her voice was husky. “Yes, well I am quite talented.” She leaned in, her face less than half a foot away from his. David leaned in closer, parting his lips and licking them as he watched her eyes.

They were startled apart by a harsh knocking at the door, sitting now two feet away. Regina called for the intruder to enter. Mulan came into the room.

“I have prepared the meat. You didn’t have anything else I could start, but the swan is ready.”

“Thank you, Mulan. We’ll be down momentarily.” After the other woman left, David sighed and stood, stretching a hand out to offer Regina assistance. Taking his hand to help herself stand, she let go of it once on her own feet. She walked slowly beside him and he kept pace with her. Smirking, she teased him, nudging him with her elbow. “Told you I would eat swan any day of the week.”

“Regina…that is not even appropriate.”

“I’m sorry.” She had the decency to act properly chastised. “That was not nice. You’re just too easy to tease.”

“You…are a brat.”

“Oh…I get called the Evil Queen for years and years and I am supposed to be offended by brat?”

“Yes. Yes you are.” Their laughter echoed through the halls as they made their way down to the kitchen.

“She looks like you…you know. More than Snow.” She spoke tenderly to him, like a friend talking about a baby. Only his baby was 28 years old.

“You think?”

“Definitely. She has Snow’s chin, and cheekbones maybe, and her eyes, but the rest is you. Including that annoying blonde hair.”

“What’s wrong with blonde hair?” he asked, pretending to be insulted.

“Pesky blondes. They all think they’re so much more beautiful than the rest of us. Brunettes are better.”

“Well…you’ll just have to wait and see.” Their eyes caught quickly and they both looked away. He had meant it as a joke, not realizing how it would come out before he caught the words. He was being too inappropriate, but he couldn’t deny that she seemed to be enjoying it. They were flirting…they could flirt…there was nothing wrong with it unless they actually crossed the line. And thanks to Mulan, they hadn’t. He would just have to be more careful not to be so intimate toward her…to not get in her space anymore and not let her get into his.

Both were silent as Regina prepared broth from the grease and juice of the swan. It wasn’t much, but it was something to add to just having the meat. The four ate in relative silence until they were all finished and Aurora spoke.

“Are you well, Regina?”

“I will be. It may take a couple of days. I’m surprised I passed out…but it was probably because I had already been harmed earlier.”

“I mean…” Aurora cast a hesitant glance at David. “I don’t mean to be inappropriate here…I just—“

“What is it, dear?”

“You left to clean up, and you came back angry and afraid…hardly clothed appropriately. Were you harmed?” Again she looked at David quickly, her eyes flicking back to Regina’s.

“No, dear. David would never hurt a fly unless it was trying to kill him. I appreciate your concern…it was a misunderstanding, but all is fine. David is every bit the Prince Charming you have heard of.”

“Then I am very sorry for my implication, David,” Aurora offered with a bowed head.

“No need. I would have likely had similar thoughts on your end.”

“Very well.”


	7. Almosts

Emma and Snow were pissed that they still hadn’t managed to find a way to get David back…and Emma had to admit she wanted to get Regina back for Henry’s sake. It had been only two full days, but she was searching hard, especially since Gold had told her that it would have meant at least a week had already passed there. Snow stopped into the station, where Emma was swamped with trying to convince people not to leave town yet, and walked into her office. Looking up, Emma greeted her newfound mother with a weak smile.

“So…I need to get David back, but I’m not as concerned about it as I was yesterday.”

“Why is that?”

“I remembered why Regina cast the curse. She couldn’t kill David or me in the Enchanted Forest anymore, Rumple put a spell on a blade she tried to stab me with so that she would never be able to harm us there again.”

Emma’s eyes lit up with relief. “Oh, thank god. I’m trying, but without magic…I just feel like it’s going to be hard and Gold isn’t going to help us.”

“We can always get Blue.”

“Um…remind me who that is again?”

“Mother Superior.”

“Oh, right. The fairies are nuns or the nuns are fairies…whatever. I really need to go back to Boston.”

“Emma! We…I just found you.”

“I know…I do. This is…this isn’t my life. This isn’t what I wanted. I mean, yeah it’s great that I found my parents. But I didn’t expect you to be my age…you know?”

“I understand, but it doesn’t mean that I don’t love you so very much.”

“I know. Alright, let’s go talk to your friend.”

 

 

Two more days passed and they were completely out of food, and that was considering they had only been eating two meals a day at half portions. Regina couldn’t put off someone hunting for much longer, but she knew it was very likely that her mother would still be watching for someone to leave the castle. She knew it would have to be her; otherwise her mother would kill anyone else she sent. Sighing, she got out of bed, heading to her wardrobe. Picking out a pair of black riding pants and a white loose-sleeve blouse, she put them on and pulled on a chocolate colored leather vest over her shirt. She used magic to pin her hair out of her face and grabbed Graham’s satchel, conjuring a bowl from the kitchen to put in it. The last thing she did was sling her quiver and bow over her shoulder before she left her room.

Walking quietly past David’s room and the other women’s room, she made her way just feet away from the castle doors before she heard footsteps behind her. She knew who she would find following her, fate never seemed to help her. Turning, she closed her eyes, reopening them only after taking a deep breath.

“David, go back to bed,” she ordered.

“Not if you’re intending to go hunting.”

Rolling her eyes, Regina sighed. “Go. You aren’t coming with me.”

“You know…you look an awful lot like your eleven year old son when you do that.” Regina tried to avoid a smirk, but she couldn’t help it.

“I’m serious. Stay here and watch after Mulan and Aurora…I’ll be back before you know it.”

“And if you’re not?”

“Then…I’m sorry I failed you and I wish you the best in your journey back home.”

“Right. Like I damn well wouldn’t come after you?” David shouted, grabbing her by the bicep and pulling her toward him. Lowering his voice, he hissed, “Regina, don’t be stupid. I’m coming with you. I can’t let you face your mother on your own.”

“And I can’t let you come with me. David, she will _not_ hesitate to kill you.”

“You’ll keep me safe.”

“What makes you think I can? Damn you, David! I told you I couldn’t beat her and now you want me to put your life on the line!”

“It’s no different than you wanting me to be ok with you just walking out there alone! You’re putting _your_ life on the line!”

“You have family waiting for you! Nobody wants me! Nobody will miss me! And we _have_ to eat.”

“ _I_ am! Goddammit Regina, _I_ do! _I_ will. “

“What?”

“I am waiting _right here_ …waiting for you to realize that you aren’t nothing _. I_ want you here, _I_ want you around, you’re important. _I_ will miss you if you’re gone. And not just because I need your help getting back to my family. You became my friend and you’re a _good_ person, one who doesn’t deserve to die.”

“David, stop. Please, just…stop,” Regina said, nearly whining. Tears were filling her eyes.

“No. I have faith that you can keep us safe. I believe in you, Regina. Just…please let me come with you. At the very least so I’m not sitting on edge wondering what happened to you until you get back.”

Crossing her arms over her chest and growling, Regina nodded. “Fine, go change. I’ll wait here.”

With a chuckle and a doubtful smile, David grabbed her hand and pulled her toward his room. “Sorry, but I’m not going to trust that you’re not going to leave without me. You’re going to wait while I change. Where I can see you.”

Rolling her eyes at him again, Regina smirked at his comment about Henry from earlier. She knew she wouldn’t be able to roll her eyes ever again without thinking about David. Once they were in his room, David pushed Regina toward his bed, where she sat after tossing her quiver, bow and satchel down on the far side of it. The shuffle of her weight against his unmade bed sent an aroma into the air that was entirely David; it smelled like fresh air, like the wind blowing through tall grass and it was just…crisp—clean. Regina breathed in the scent, not realizing the extra deep breath she took until she nearly hummed in satisfaction. Snapping out of it, she let her eyes shift across the room, looking around for David.

She regretted that immediately. Or maybe she didn’t, but she should. David was standing in front of his wardrobe with only his boxer briefs on. When he turned around, holding a black shirt and tan riding pants, Regina let her eyes flicker to his face, making sure he wasn’t looking at her. Letting her eyes drop to his abdomen, she glanced at his toned stomach in appreciation. His muscles were…obvious, not the soft kind that so many men have. His chest was…she had to shake her head from thinking of how nice it would be to touch him. Checking his eye line again, noticing he still wasn’t watching her, she let her curiosity get the best of her and dropped her eyes to look at him in his boxer briefs. She couldn’t fully make out his size, but she could definitely tell from the bulge in his underwear that he was…much larger than average. Letting out in involuntary moan at the same moment she heard David clear his throat, she shot her eyes up to meet his.

David smirked at her, his eyes dancing with mischief and amusement. “I wondered why you picked boxer briefs when you conjured underwear for me. I guess now I know.”

“David…”

“Don’t worry about it. We’re even now. Although… I have to say that you checking me out is incredibly sexy,” he teased, pulling the shirt over his shoulders and buttoning it slowly, standing in just his underwear and the shirt.

“Shut up.”

“If you insist. Or…we could…” David started, walking toward Regina where she was sitting on the bed. David lowered his face to hers, his shirt only half buttoned, causing Regina’s eyes to drop to his toned chest. Touching his nose to hers, he inhaled her scent, leaning into her as she put her hands on the bed beside her and shifted backward. David crawled onto the bed, hovering over her, causing her to shift farther as his lips came nearly to hers, so close she could almost taste him. She laid down, causing her things to fall to the floor and the quiver emptying, the arrows clattering against the stone and snapping them out of the moment. Jerking up, Regina smashed her forehead against his, slid out from underneath him clutching her head and gathered her things from the floor. Running out of his room, she shut the door behind her and leaned back against the wall, dropping her head to the stone and she breathed deeply, trying to ignore the uncomfortable wetness between her legs.

Quickly pulling on his pants, David grabbed his boots and ran out of the room with his own quiver and bow in his hand. He found Regina right outside the door and though she appeared slightly disheveled, she looked much more composed than he did. Settling against the wall next to her, he tied his pants and pulled on his boots, lacing them tightly.

“Let’s go get some food,” he said, trying to sound like he was recovered from the moment they’d had. He knew it wasn’t going to be a good time for him to go hunting with her, alone, but he wasn’t going to let her go by herself, so he pushed the sexual thoughts of her from his mind and led the way, slinging his quiver and bow over one shoulder.

 

They spent several moments keeping close to the castle, watching for anything dangerous. When nothing happened, Regina moved to take David’s hand, needing to keep him safe, needing to keep him close to her. She realized halfway through the motion that if she took his hand, if she touched his skin, she wouldn’t be able to stop at just holding his hand. The feeling of his body hovering over hers had done too much to her, she would have slept with him if he had kissed her, she was certain of that. She considered just doing it, just sleeping with him so all the tension would go away and they could concentrate on the task at hand, but she doubted it would work that way. Feelings that she had never intended on having were consuming her more by the day and sex would, more than likely, just make it worse. So instead of taking his hand, she grasped the loose fabric of his shirt that hung around his wrist, pulling him along behind her. Once they had made it to a clearing, Regina and David set themselves up next to each other, bow and arrow in their hands and ready to aim.

David spotted a deer and released his arrow, catching it right through the heart. Regina smiled as he went to retrieve it after she handed him the rope. As David tied the deer, Regina collected berries from the bushes on the edge of the clearing. Distracted by her thoughts, it wasn’t until she heard a loud thud that she realized David was behind her. She looked at the deer that he had dropped on the ground.

“That’s a pretty large…uh, a big…uh,” she stuttered, distracted by the widening smile on his full lips. “Deer. It’s a good-sized deer. Good job. And shut up, please.” That only made him smile more, and he helped her continue picking berries until the bowl was full. Placing it into her bag, Regina looked up to see David holding a berry to her mouth. “I’m so not falling for that again, David.”

He raised one hand to her face, letting his thumb graze over the small bump on her forehead. “You did quite a number on your head earlier.”

“If I recall, it was your head that caused the bump.”

“But…you head butted me…so, your fault.”

“You are such a child.”

“Here…eat the berry. It’s delicious,” he insisted, dropping his hand from her head.

“I can see that you think so, since your lips are blue.”

“Looking at my lips, then?”

“David—“

“That’s ok. I’ll just look at yours.”

“Please.”

“Please, what? Because Regina,” he started, stepping closer to her and pushing the berry past her lips, watching her suck on it. He took her face in his hands and shifted his eyes between hers, looking for denial. Not seeing any, he lowered his mouth to hers, desperately near a kiss and spoke against her lips. “All I want to do is kiss you. Just let me kiss you.”

Nodding, Regina inhaled sharply, closing her eyes.

“Well, well, well. What have I told you about going after peasants, my dear Regina?” David and Regina pushed apart, turning toward the voice.

“Mother,” Regina stated coldly.

“A foolish mistake you made the other day…using magic. A good sorceress would never make that mistake. That’s why you need me, Regina.”

“Mother, I don’t want you. I thought you were dead!”

“Yes, I know you did. It was so easy turning the pirate against you.”

“And letting me weep over your body!”

“You wanted to have me killed, you didn’t mourn me.”

“I did too! I loved you, mother, and that was exactly why I couldn’t have you in my new life.”

“Regina, all I want is to be your mother.”

“No! You want to destroy me.” Stepping in front of David, Regina made a move with her hand that, to her mother, would look protective, but if David was watching properly, it signaled for him to grab the deer. He took her hand and she knew that he had the game in his grasp. “Goodbye, mother,” she cried, poofing them back to the castle. They were in the kitchen, where David lifted the deer and set it on the table as Regina slumped to the floor in tears.

Crouching beside her, David pulled her into his arms and held her, soothing her. Stroking her spine and running his fingers through her hair, he hushed her gently as she sobbed. He whispered reassuring and sometimes sweet platitudes as he rocked her. David let himself sink all the way down to the floor, folding his legs in front of him and pulling Regina to sit in the basket they made. She was facing him, her bottom cradled by his legs and her legs wrapped around his waist. Her arms were bent between their chests, and he held her. Hushing her softly, continuously, David waited. Knowing he would hold her for as long as she needed it, he didn’t care that his legs were getting numb even though she hardly weighed anything against him, and he certainly didn’t care that it wasn’t even half an hour before that he had almost kissed her and they hadn’t even been as physically close as they were in that moment as he comforted her.

David pressed a light kiss to her temple, and he noticed that her wracking sobs were softening and her body was relaxing against him. Caressing her hair more, he brushed it back away from her face, tucking it behind her ears on either side of her head. He moved his hands to her face, pulling her away so he could look at her. Wiping the tears from her cheeks with his thumbs, David looked into her eyes, shining with their sadness and his heart broke for her. He lowered her head so his lips met her forehead in a gentle kiss.

“Are you ok?” he asked, knowing the answer was no, but that Regina would very likely nod and say she was fine.

“I’m…yeah…I’m ok,” she answered, her voice shaky and husky.

“Regina…you don’t have to tell me you’re fine if you’re not. I’m here. We’re…friends, you can talk to me.”

Brown eyes shifted between sky blue and she gave him a tight smile, the kind that is still half a frown, the corners twisted down in pain, but the center upturned in an attempt to look happy.

“Thank you. It’s nice to have a friend.”

“It is. And I’m never going to stop being your friend, and you can trust me with anything that you need to say, anything that you feel.”

Nodding, Regina dropped her forehead to his shoulder. “David…she hurt me so much. All my life…all I ever wanted was to be loved and to be happy. She couldn’t love me, didn’t love me. And she made sure I didn’t have love. And Rumplestiltskin…he just made it worse, he fed the darkness in my heart at the loss of Daniel. He fed on my desperation and my pain. I’m so broken, David.”

“Hey, hey,” he soothed, cupping the back of her head with one hand as the other moved up and down her back in calming lines. “You aren’t broken, you just need to be reminded of who you are, of who you once were, and who you _can_ be.”

“And who is going to do that?”

“I will. I’ll be here and hold you accountable for your actions. I’ll pick you up when you fall, and I’ll hold you when you’re sad. That’s what friends are for, right?”

“I wouldn’t know. I’ve never had any.”

“You do now.”

 

Days passed and neither Regina nor David spoke about what had happened between them that day. Not about what almost happened on his bed, not about what had almost happened in the forest, and certainly not about what happened in the kitchen. All he had done was hold her until she was ready to get up. And then she prepared dinner, though David offered to, Regina had wanted something to busy her hands and almost busy her mind.

They were at breakfast when Regina brought up the next part of their journey.

“I think…it should be safe for us to walk to your castle now. We could leave this afternoon, or perhaps in the morning should you all prefer waiting. My goal is to get in, get the wardrobe and get back here, without having to set any protection wards on the castle.”

“Why don’t you want to set protection wards?” David asked.

“If we don’t, then I can use magic to get us all back here. If I have to set protection wards, we’ll need to stay a few days so I don’t crash like I did before. Do you have a preference for when we leave?”

“Well, what do you think? Do you want to leave today or in the morning?” David asked.

“I brought it up figuring you would have an opinion.”

“My opinion is that we leave when you’re ready to. You are our leader, you know what we need better than we do, so you decide.”

“We’ll leave this afternoon, after lunch. We will walk until dusk without resting, so if you need to sleep, please rest before we leave. Is that agreeable?” she said, looking to the other three in the group. Everyone nodded their agreement and finished their breakfasts.

Regina filled the sinks with soapy water and rinsing water, and the women made their way up to their rooms to prepare for the journey. David hung back in the kitchen and cleaned up all of the dishes. Certain that everything in the kitchen was cleaned and would be safe from spoiling while they were gone, David made his way up to Regina’s room. Knocking lightly on the door, he waited for an answer. When he didn’t get one, he pushed the door open as quietly as he could, assuming he would find Regina sleeping. Instead, she was bathing. All he could see of her was the top of her chest, above her breasts, and up.

“Regina?” he said, clearing his throat. Her head snapped up in response.

“David! What are you doing?” she growled, teeth clenched and her arms jerked up immediately, covering anything that she didn’t want seen.

“Sorry, I…I knocked and you didn’t answer. Um…when you’re done, if you wouldn’t mind getting me some waternfor a bath? I uh…would like to wash up before we go.”

Her facial features softened at his gentle hesitancy and she nodded. “Very well, just...give me a few moments?”

“Thanks.” Backing out, he offered her a weak smile and turned to head to his room.

Regina knew she was being cruel, practically ignoring David for days after he comforted her. She couldn’t talk to him about it. She couldn’t let him see how much of an effect he’d had on her, nearly kissing her twice, holding her while she cried, keeping her safe from herself. She was falling too hard for him and he didn’t belong to her—would never belong to her. Knowing she would deny her feelings for him until the day she died, Regina stepped out of her bath and dressed herself in black riding pants, a white shirt and a black and plum colored riding jacket. Pulling on brown boots, Regina sighed and made her way to David’s room to fill a bath for him.

She knocked at the door, and almost immediately David was standing in front of her, having pulled it open. Motioning for her to enter, he stepped aside to give her space. She quickly filled his bath with hot water, smiling to him and heading back for the door.

“Regina, wait,” he spoke before she left. “Please?”

Turning around, Regina looked at him—really looked at him, for the first time since the day he’d held her. “What do you need, David?” she asked in the most pleasant tone she could muster.

“What happened? What did I do? We were becoming friends…good friends, I thought.”

“I don’t need any friends, David.”

“Everybody needs friends.”

“Not me. Kindly leave it alone.”

“Fine. Uh…do I need to pack anything like bowls or silverware?”

“No, I have it all.”

“Uh, ok, yeah…good. Thanks a lot, for everything, you know?”

“I’m not doing it for you!” she snapped. “I’m doing it for Henry. I’m doing it because I’m sure he wants his grandfather back, just like Emma wants her father and Snow wants her _husband_.

“Ok,” David said, showing his hands in surrender. “I’m sorry.”

“Just…stop. Please…stop.”

“Stop what?”

“Being you! Be…be Prince Charming who hates my life and wants me dead. I can’t handle David right now…you need to stop being you. Please.”

“Ok. I’ll try,” he gave in.

“Thank you.”


	8. Letting the Last Walls Break

The next morning, when Regina woke up, she rolled over on her makeshift bed on the forest floor. The first thing in her line of vision was David, facing her from about ten feet away. Sitting up, she didn’t take her eyes off him. Regina had found that since her talk with him the day before, when she had told him to back off, all she could think about was kissing him. Shaking the thought from her head, she stood with a yawn and a stretch, and grabbed her bow and quiver of arrows. She slung her satchel across her chest and checked that her canteen was attached and bowl was inside. After she was certain she had everything, she walked into the cover of the forest, listening for water and something to kill for food.

Once she had found some water, she knelt on the ground, cupping the water into her hands and running it over her face and the roots of her hair. She filled the canteen and reattached it to her satchel, sticking close to the riverside to watch for any small animals that might come for a drink. In less than twenty minutes she had killed two squirrels and a small rabbit. She also managed to find enough berries to fill her bowl, so she headed back to camp.

Walking into the small clearing, she found that Mulan and David were awake, while Aurora was still sleeping. She handed the animals off to the warrior to clean and prepare for cooking. Regina pulled out a match and set a fire. Pulling the bowl of berries out of her satchel, she passed it to David, watching as he cautiously took it from her, looking like a stricken puppy. She had noticed that since she had pushed him away the day before, he looked hurt. Feeling slightly guilty, Regina tried to offer him a smile, though he looked away before he could see it. She mentally scolded herself. She shouldn’t have been so harsh, he probably was just looking for the missing affection he needed, just as she felt the desire to be touched and kissed herself. The fact that it was each other they were searching for it from just happened because of their circumstance.

Watching that Mulan was properly occupied, Regina stood and moved to sit next to David on his blanket. She sat to his left, both of them had their knees bent, in the air and their feet resting against the ground. She bumped his shoulder with hers, trying again to smile at him. This time, David returned it with a half-hearted smile of his own. Chuckling, Regina pulled a berry from the bowl and held it in front of his mouth, and even though he resisted at first, when she started moving it, almost like tempting a child to eat food, he smiled and wrapped his lips around her fingers, sucking the berry out of her grasp.

“Mood swings much, Regina?” he said, after swallowing the fruit.

“David…I’m sorry about yesterday, I was far too rude and you didn’t deserve that.”

“But…?”

“But, I feel like we’re both misplacing our need for a physical relationship and trying to act it out with each other. It’s…it would only end in issues, David. You have Snow to get back to, and…and I don’t do the whole relationship thing very well. Is that fair to say?”

“Yeah. I guess that you’re probably right. It’s really nice being your friend, and I really don’t want to jeopardize that. But it’s been lonely here, maybe I was misreading the signs.”

“And perhaps we should make it a point to not be around each other while we’re partially undressed,” Regina answered with a smile.

“That probably doesn’t help the situation, no.” Even as he said the words, his eyes roamed over her clothed form. The tight riding pants that formed to her legs and ass like liquid, her blouse that was unbuttoned too far, and the brown leather vest that covered the sides of her neck with its collar, but moved with the curve of her breasts and waist perfectly. “David…” she breathed, her body temperature increasing under his intense gaze. “That’s probably not going to help, either.” Swallowing thickly, Regina tried to smile at him, though the desire building in her stomach stopped her from being able to.

“Yeah. I’m sorry. I’ll behave, I promise. But…you have to promise you’re going to still try the being friends thing. This time that we’ve been here, I never would have imagined you are the person you are proving to be. I want you as my friend. I understand why Snow always wanted to try to save you.”

“Thank you, David. And yes…the being friends thing I can do. I just really need you to stop looking at me like you want to devour me.” He laughed, because it was true, he did want to. He wanted to taste every part of her body and he couldn’t explain why. She was attractive; sure, and if he was being perfectly honest with himself he would have to admit that she was likely the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. And she was funny, and intelligent, and though he had always known the latter, he had never been exposed to a funny Regina, and it was something he wanted to be around constantly. Still, he was married and just because he found her to be beautiful, intelligent and funny, didn’t mean that he should consistently imagine what it would be like to spend a day in bed with her.

The day’s journey passed easily. They packed up and left shortly after eating, crossing much more land than they figured they would in the light hours. When they settled that night, Regina told the group that they probably only had four hours of travel to walk the next day. In the morning, Regina and Mulan were the first to wake and they headed out to hunt together. Regina stopped when she heard something familiar, but she couldn’t place it. Holding her hand in front of her companion, she held a finger to her lips and listened closely.

Walking again, slowly and quietly toward the sound, she passed through some bushes and found three horses feeding on grass. Smiling brightly, Regina walked slowly toward them, holding her hands down to her sides and only walking halfway toward them. Clicking her tongue lightly, she drew one of the horses to her. Once the horse put it’s head down, Regina rubbed it’s face, starting between her eyes and down to the side of her head.

“You are so beautiful,” she breathed. The mare was chocolate colored with a white patch between her eyes. The other two horses slowly made their way toward her, and she pet each one as the came to her. The other two were palomino horses, one male and one female.

“Should we be able to ride them?” Mulan asked.

“I think so. Though…I should stay here with them to make sure they remain. It will take perhaps half the time to get to the castle if we take them. Go get David and Aurora and gather our things. David should have rope, tell him to make sure he keeps it all out.”

“Alright, hopefully I will be back with them shortly.”

When Mulan arrived with the other two, Mulan appeared against the idea of sharing a horse with Aurora, so they both got their own horse, blankets laid on the bare backs of the mares and each one carrying two of the travelers packs the group had. After laying a blanket on its back, Regina mounted the male palomino first, since she’d be riding in front. Scooting forward, she made room for David, who clumsily mounted the horse behind her.

“Never mount a horse bareback before?” Regina teased.

“No, I have…just not with someone already on it before.”

“I see. Ready to go?”

“Yeah. So…I’m just gonna…” he said, watching her as he motioned that he was going to put his arms around her. Rolling her eyes, Regina reached back and grabbed a hand in each of hers, pulling his arms around her waist and latching his hands together.

“Child.”

“Well, excuse me if we didn’t _just_ discuss this.”

“Well, it’s not like you’re feeling me up for fun.”

“Thanks for completely clearing my head of inappropriate thoughts, Regina,” David groaned. When Regina dug her heels into the horse’s sides, it began moving and David instinctively pulled Regina back against him, his chest flush with her back. She inhaled sharply at the change, his pelvis pressed against her lower pack. Checking to make certain the other women were following them, Regina led the horse to the castle.

They made it to their destination in just under two hours. Regina had them bring the horses inside the castle walls, away from view of anyone who might just happen to pass by, leaving Aurora and Mulan with them. David led the way to the floor that held the bedchambers. When he stopped outside of one of the rooms and hesitated, she assumed it would be the one.

“Do you want me to…should I let you go in alone?” she asked softly.

“No, it wouldn’t do any good. It’s likely I’ll need your help anyway.”

“Very well.” Pushing the door open, David entered the room and breathed heavily, his eyes welling at the sight of the destroyed nursery. Regina walked straight to the wardrobe, trying to imagine how she would be able to get it back to her castle. It would take a great deal of energy to poof it with the rest of them.

There was a knock at the door to the nursery and Regina looked up, moving to stand protectively in front of David. The man from the safe haven entered the room. Lancelot, Regina believed his name was.

“Lancelot? What are you doing here?”

“I came to see how your journey was going?”

“How did you know we were here?” David asked cautiously.

“I…I saw some travellers with horses enter the castle walls, I assumed it was you, since most everyone else stays near the safe haven.” He smiled, and then nodded toward the wardrobe. “Is that what you’re going to use to get home?”

Before David could answer, Regina spoke up. “Why would we use an old tree to get home?” she asked, trying to force as much incredulity into her tone as possible.

“Well, it has magical properties.”

“How would you know that?”

With a shrug, Lancelot answered, “I just assumed.” In a quick movement, Regina pulled the matches from her bag and set the wardrobe on fire, then moved to stand in front of David.

“Mother, leave.” Smoke overcame the figure, and surely Cora was standing in the place Lancelot had been seemingly standing.

“It took you longer than I expected, dear,” Cora said, taunting her daughter. “You’re much slower than you should be.”

“Mother, please, just leave us alone.”

“I will, if you tell me the truth to just one question.”

“What, mother?”

“Why are you so protective over this peasant? Regina…really? A shepherd?”

“He’s family. I need to keep him safe.”

“Wrong answer. Surely, you know you couldn’t use the wardrobe without the compass, anyway.”

“What compass, mother?”

“The one that holds your proper destination. The wardrobe would take you outside of this little land you’re searching for, would it not?”

“How do you know that, mother?”

“I have my ways. You really should have let me teach you. I will leave you alone for now, but I will find you again, and I will have you on my side.”

“I wouldn’t count on it, mother.” Cora disappeared in another cloud of smoke, and David turned to look at the burned wardrobe. Regina knelt beside him on the floor in front of the ashes. “I’m sorry, David. She would have hurt Henry if she could use it to get to Storybrooke.”

“It’s…that’s fine, Regina. It’s not your fault. You did what you had to do.”

“We need to get out of here.”

“Can we…is there a way the ashes might still have the magical properties?”

“Perhaps. We could take them with us and I can do some research.” David nodded, and Regina figured since her mother knew where she was, conjuring an empty flask wouldn’t hurt. Scooping the ashes into the glass contained, she stoppered it and dropped it into her satchel. “David…” she started, placing her hands on either side of his face. “I’m so very sorry for what I took away from you. You…you didn’t deserve that.” Her chocolate eyes flickered between his sky blue ones, and she stood on her tiptoes to press a gentle kiss to his forehead.

“It’s…I understand why you did what you did. It no longer matters that much. It’s painful, seeing what could have been, but Emma wouldn’t have turned out to be the person she is, had we raised her, and I’m not sure I would want to change her.”

“Do you want a minute alone?”

“No, we should probably go.”

“Very well.” She held his hand, comfortingly, as they walked back to the entrance hall to find Mulan, Aurora and the horses. “I’d like to bring them back with us,” she said. “Please, everyone take hands, David, Mulan, can you each grasp the ropes on the horses? That should be sufficient for me to pull us all back.”

 

When they were all standing on her land, Regina led the horses into her inner courtyard, where they could roam safely and be protected. She conjured bales of hay for them to eat. It would be enough for them; it was only humans that didn’t get sufficient nutrients from magicked food. She prepared a lunch for the group, since they hadn’t eaten yet. After everyone ate their meals, David was the first to excuse himself, his mood off, but not unexpected.

Since David was feeling particularly defeated after seeing Emma’s intended nursery Regina felt bad for him. After coming up with a plan, she gathered Mulan and Aurora, pulling them along with her to David’s room. Knocking on his door, she waited with the other two women patiently until he called for them to enter. Once all four were together in the room, Regina spoke.

“I am doing something out of character. I expect all of you to meet me in the ballroom in an hour’s time. It is on the second floor, the largest room. The doors will be open. I expect you all to show up in formal wear. David, you can find something formal in the room on the other side of their room,” she informed, waving to the women before turning to face them. “Aurora, you should fit well into anything in Snow’s wardrobe. And Mulan, would you like a gown of mine or a formal suit? I have formal knight’s clothing somewhere if you’d like.”

“I would appreciate that. The suit, that is,” Mulan answered.

“Very well. David, Aurora, please go get ready. Mulan, please come with me.” Regina led the other woman to the bottom floor, where most of the guards had stayed. She’s had a guard named Kristoff whose frame was fairly small. He had been one of her most loyal men, and one of the first she had knighted. Fetching his dress clothes, Regina held them out, snapping her fingers so that Mulan was magically dressed in them.

“You look lovely.”

“Thank you. I’m not fond of dresses. I am a warrior, I don’t do frilly.”

Chuckling, Regina replied, “You are a warrior _princess_ , are you not?”

“Perhaps, but I prefer warrior.”

“Warrior you remain.”

“What are your plans for tonight?”

“We are going to have a ball. A rather small one, but one nonetheless.”

“A peculiar time for a ball.”

“I just think that David needs something to make him happier, raise his spirits.”

“Are you and David together?” Mulan asked casually.

With a light chuckle, Regina answered, “No dear, we are not. We are barely friends. But…he is more helpful to me when he is in a good mood.”

“I think that he feels more for you than friendship.”

“I disagree. I _do_ need to get ready though. You can find your way?” When Mulan nodded, Regina poofed herself to her own room in a small panic. Attempting to control her breathing, Regina conjured a small paper bag and breathed into it. Once her breaths were even, she placed her right hand over her heart.

She couldn’t possibly be starting to have romantic feelings for _Prince Charming_. There couldn’t possibly be anyone _less_ available. He _was_ decently similar to her Daniel, though. Both were kind, optimistic, saw the good inside of her. Both had lived humble lives. Well, David’s had been _mostly_ humble, where’s Daniel’s was completely so. Both men showed her how _good_ and forgiving people could be, how trustworthy and trusting it was possible to be. But no, she couldn’t be feeling that way for him. And he certainly couldn’t—wouldn’t feel that way for her.

Shaking the thoughts from her head, she walked to her dress wardrobe. She pulled out a ruby red dress with stones embedded across the breast. The dress was the very same as the one she has been wearing when Sidney gave her the news that David had found Snow and that his True Love’s kiss had woken her up. But she didn’t want to hold that against the dress. She waved her hand and in a moment, she was wearing it. Instead of wearing the floor length cape coat she had worn before, she pulled on a long-sleeved half cover. It had two small buttons that connected below her breasts and the fabric curved around the sides of her breasts, leaving her dress exposed. The black fabric pressed softly into the insides of her shoulders, ending in a collar that was left up against her neck.

It wasn’t a close fitting dress, not like some had been, but it also wasn’t an ordinary ball gown. The front of the ruby material dipped low between her breasts, exposing the smooth, flat skin of her sternum and the attractive cleavage from the center of her chest. Slipping matching stilettos on, Regina checked herself over in a full-length mirror. With a wave of her hand, her lips were painted light red and her hair was styled in curls. She checked the position of the sun and knew it was time to go.

She was the first to arrive, which was her plan. As certain as she remembered, there was a harp, a viol and a rebec on a raised floor; the stage. The room had six fireplaces, one on each far end of the room and two on each longer wall. One side of the room had four sets of double doors that led to balconies. With a wave of her hand, six fires were blazing, all the doors were opened and the room looked wonderful.

“You look…beautiful.” Regina jumped at the masculine voice behind her. Turning, she saw David entering the room through the main doors and it was all she could do not to let her jaw drop. He was dressed in black boots and black pants. Wearing a puffy white shirt that he covered with a deep green suede jacket, and he looked handsome. There was pearly embroidery on the front of the jacket on either side of the opening. A black belt was hooked around his waist, holding his jacket closed near the bottom. Attached to the back shoulders of the jacket was an even deeper green cape.

“Thank you,” she answered, her heart fluttering madly. “You look very dapper.” Offering him a smile, she walked over to stand beside him and wait for the other guests.

Mulan and Aurora entered together, Aurora having chosen a beautiful light blue, long-sleeved dress with a v-neck.

“Lovely choice, Aurora. That color suits your skin tone,” Regina complimented with a bright smile.

“So…what are we doing here?” David asked.

“We’re having a ball, of course.”

“With no music?”

“You forget,” Regina answered with a cocky smirk and a wave of her wave. The motions caused the instruments to all begin playing a traditional ball dance song. Chuckling, David held out his hand for Regina and Mulan held hers out for Aurora. The four began twirling around the ballroom. After several dances, Regina switched with Aurora, dancing with Mulan for a couple of songs.

A couple of hours passed and moods were lifted. Mulan and Aurora interrupted the other pair to inform them that they were going to get some sleep. After they were gone, Regina again faced David.

“You must be tired. You should go catch up on sleep as well,” she stated.

“Will you be going to sleep?”

“I think I may stay a while. I’m not yet tired.”

“I can dance as long as you can,” David offered, holding his hand out again with a smile. Regina accepted it, grinning back at him and they were dancing once again. “Will you play a slow song from our other world?”

Regina nodded and the music changed to play the instrumentals of Chicago’s _You’re the Inspiration_. The pair held each other close, David had his right arm resting across Regina’s back so his hand was holding her right below her right shoulder blade, his left hand cupping her right in the air beside their shoulders. Regina’s left arm was bent at the elbow, her forearm resting against his tricep and her hand cupping his shoulder from behind. There wasn’t much they could change to make them any closer physically than they were. David led the slow steps very well and Regina was exceedingly him. Her temple was resting against his jaw and her eyes closed on instinct when he hummed into her dark hair.

“You move as fluid as water,” he complimented.

“You dance very well, too.”

“Tell me something about yourself.”

“I love to dance.” Her answer was accompanied with a wry grin that he couldn’t see, but he could feel the skin against her temple shift.

“Something I _wouldn’t_ know by your actions.”

“I love listening to love songs.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Sure. They make me feel…hopeful.”

“You are too incredible to not find love again, Regina.” She didn’t answer, just changed the song to _Somewhere Only We Know_ by Keane.

“I recognize this one,” David breathed.

“It was quite popular.” The pair didn’t speak again for a while, though they remained dancing. Regina switched the song each time one ended until she unintentionally landed on _Can’t Help Falling in Love_ by Elvis. Her eyes brimmed lightly with tears that she refused to let fall. When the song was drawing to a close, David sang the last of the lyrics into her ear.

_Take my hand, take my whole life, too._

_For I can’t help falling in love with you._

Regina gasped and pulled away, looking into electric blue eyes.

“David?” she whispered, but it was all she could say before David’s lips closed against hers. Gently, their lips moved together for long moments, mouths open but neither brave enough to move their tongue. Their bodies stopped moving, David’s hands raised to cup her face. With this kiss, he slid his tongue out, barely brushing her parted lips, asking her permission. Sighing, she moved her own tongue to meet his. Their lips and tongues moved together slowly and timidly, like teenagers with their first kiss, uncertain if it was ok but not wanting to stop. It was the sweetest kiss Regina could remember ever having. She moved her arms between his, wrapping them around his neck and pulling him as close as she could.

When they were both too breathless to keep the kiss going, they broke apart, foreheads touching and eyes closed, breathing in the same air. David placed two quick and chaste kisses on her mouth before he spoke.

“Regina…”

“David…David what are we doing?” She hadn’t moved, just enjoyed the feel of him so close to her.

“I don’t know, but it doesn’t feel wrong.” Looking up at him, Regina’s chocolate eyes shifted between his bright blue ones, searching for a lie. When she couldn’t find it, she felt her heart panic for the second time that day and she waved her arms in front of her, removing herself from the situation and taking her to her room.

“Oh gods, what have I done?” she asked herself out loud, once she was alone. “What have I done?”


	9. Making a Plan

David gave Regina nearly an hour alone after she disappeared before he went to check on her. Knocking on her door, he waited for her to answer. He didn’t hear anyone walking to the door, nor could he hear any movement in the room. Dropping his head, he turned around and leaned against the door.

“Regina, please,” he whispered. “Please don’t shut me out. Can we just talk?” He waited several minutes without a response, so he began to head to his own room, and that was when her door opened. She was in a short, black nightgown and her hair was curling against her neck. David stared, not saying anything, not able to find the words he wanted to say.

“You wanted to talk?” she asked softly.

Nodding, David answered, “May I come in?”

Regina pursed her lips, but waved her arm, motioning for him to enter. “Yes, come right in.” She motioned for him to sit by the fireplace. Once she was sitting across from him on a chaise lounge, David took a calming breath and started the conversation he needed to have.

“About the kiss… I’m sorry I upset you.”

“I’m fine, David. I can handle it. It was just a kiss.”

“I really don’t want you to think I’m using you.”

“Then… forgive me, but if that’s _not_ the reason, then _what_ is? _Why_ did you kiss me?”

“I wanted to,” he answered, shrugging. “I’ve _been_ wanting to. There’s all this… tension between us and I wanted to know what it would be like to kiss you.”

“You can’t just do things because you want to, David! That’s a childlike mentality!”

“You think I don’t know that?” David growled. “I’ve never done very much that I wanted!”

“You _married_ Snow.”

“Yes! I married for love, and after that, my _entire_ life became about doing everything for Snow. We fought wars, we took a kingdom, even though I _never_ wanted to be royalty… I never wanted to rule people. We had a counsel of people that were loyal to _her_ , we fought _you_ constantly, and even when I just wanted to have a relaxing honeymoon… I didn’t get that. Every single part of my life became about doing what _she_ wanted.”

“But you love her.”

“Yes, I love her. But… I really liked kissing you.”

“David—“

“Please, don’t tell me I’m being crazy or stupid.”

“I… I wasn’t going to. Snow is your True Love. I just want to know why that isn’t enough to stop you from kissing me.”

“You… I don’t know, you are incredibly beautiful and the sexual tension I already mentioned and… we were dancing and your laugh and the way you move… you made my head fill with thoughts of kissing you, so I had to.”

Regina closed her eyes, pinching the bridge of her nose and sighing. “So you kissed me and you tried it. Why… why are you here, now?”

David walked over to where she was sitting. Kneeling to the ground in front of her, he sat on his feet. He took her face into his hands, shaking his head.

“I told you already. I really liked kissing you,” he answered, pulling her face down to his. David pressed his mouth against hers, gently kissing her and sliding his tongue out to part her lips. When she responded by moving her tongue against his, David ran his thumb along her jaw and slid his other hand into her hair, pulling her closer. He pulled her down to him so she was straddling his thighs and David wrapped his arms around her back, holding her tightly against him as they kissed.

Regina slowed the kiss, pulling away and looking into David’s eyes.

“I’m not sleeping with you,” she declared.

Chuckling, David nodded. “What makes you think I want you to?”

“Excuse me?”

“I never asked,” he teased.

“I’ll have you know, I am excellent.”

“I bet you are,” David said, his eyes tracing over her form. “And I do hope I can keep kissing you, but I think… sleeping together right now would probably complicate things. So, I understand you not wanting to.”

“I’ll tell you what… if you promise not to be pushy, I will give you permission to kiss me as much as you want.”

With a nod and a smile, David brought his lips back to Regina’s in a soft and simple kiss. He knew he should feel guilty. Considering that he was kissing his wife’s longtime enemy, instead of searching with more vigor for a way back to her, he _should_ be feeling _very_ guilty. But the feeling of Regina in his lap, and her plump and soft lips against his had any trace of guilt flying from his mind.

At some point in the night, they’d moved to her bed, holding each other and making out like teenagers. And it wasn’t until morning, when Regina woke up sprawled across David’s body, that she realized that they had shared a bed. Pushing herself up on his body, Regina stopped to let her eyes gaze upon his face, calm and peaceful in his sleep. He must have noticed the shift in pressure on him, because he started waking, and when his blue eyes were open, they landed on Regina instantly.

“Good morning,” he whispered with a grin. “I… I’m sorry I didn’t intend to monopolize your entire night. Sitting up, he leaned against the headboard and gave Regina a half smile in apology.

“It’s… it was fine. I do have to say that it was kind of enjoyable acting like a teenager.”

“Yes. We should do that some more,” David answered, reaching to pull Regina toward him.

Raising an eyebrow and smirking, Regina said, “Is that so?”

“Yes, and we could start right now,” he told her, his voice husky.

“Oh? Can we?” she asked teasingly.

David nodded, holding her tight to him and flipping them over so she was on her back. “This ok?” he whispered against her lips. When she nodded, he kissed her softly, though he was eager to deepen it. Her body felt so small against his tall and broad frame and he found himself enjoying how easy she was to hold, and how willing she was to hold him. Breaking the gentle kiss for a moment, he pressed his lips to her ear, speaking softly, “You are so delicious.”

Regina blushed, her body shivering beneath him at the words he spoke. They made her think things she shouldn’t think, like how much she wanted him to _really_ taste her and tell her the same thing. One of his hands moved down her body and cupped the rounded flesh of her ass, squeezing gently and pulling her body close to his. His hardness was pressing against her hip and Regina moved with him.

“How do you make me want you so much?” he asked, his voice throaty.

“David,” she moaned, her hips still moving with his as he kissed down her neck. “We can’t. Sleeping together is not allowed, remember?”

“I know,” David groaned against her collarbone. He stayed there , letting his hips roll against hers for another minute before he pushed away. “This is proving to be more difficult than I though.”

Chuckling, Regina nodded. “I know.” She moved up from underneath him, sliding her body up and sitting against the headboard. “ _Why_ do you have to be _so_ you?” she growled teasingly.

“ _So_ me? How very eloquent of you, my queen.” Regina’s eyes shot up from his lips to the pretty blue of his eyes, her surprise obvious in chocolate eyes. She knew he was teasing her, but that fact that he’d called her _his_ queen had butterflies flitting through her stomach.

Clearing her throat, she pushed his chest gently, trying to make him give her space. Once she climbed off the bed and earned a confused look from him, Regina smiled softly. “We should probably prepare breakfast and then head to my library. I don’t have many of my books here, I brought a good many to Storybrooke, but we can check the ones I have. If we don’t find anything, we’ll make a trip to the Dark Castle.”

“Did I upset you?” David asked, pushing off the bed and walking around to where she was standing.

“No, dear, I’m fine.”

“No you’re not,” he protested, pulling her against him for a hug. “Hey, if it gets to be too much, just tell me to stop.”

“It isn’t that. I just… I like our friendship. I like kissing you, too, but I really like your friendship. And I don’t want to go back to not having it, but what happens when we go home and you see Snow and feel guilty about this? What happens if you feel so guilty that you tell her and she isn’t fine with you remaining my friend? I lose too much, David.”

Pulling back, he cradled her face in his hands. “Hey, that’s not going to happen, alright? You are so incredible, and you’re working on getting me home even though you don’t have to. That’s what made me want to be your friend, not the kissing, and I don’t want to stop being friends with you, so it’s your choice, either way, but know that I’m not going to disappear on you just because we get back to Storybrooke.”

She searched his eyes for a lie, but she didn’t find it. Regina had been realizing that with the prince; he didn’t lie often, he seemed to pride himself on his ability to be honest, both with himself and with others. “Do you promise? I just… if Henry isn’t happy to see me and the town is out to kill me still, I need someone on my side.”

“And I will be there.” Regina nodded and gave him a smile.

“Good. Now go dress and I’ll meet you in the kitchen.”

 

They searched into the evening, reading book after book on how to direct portals, but nothing came up with the answer they needed. There were only two kinds of portals that allowed the user to choose their location, beans and mirrors. But mirrors usually only allowed one person through at a time unless it was made specifically for more, like how the mirror for Cora shattered after Regina had pushed her through.

It wasn’t until Regina came across a how-to book on mirrors did she get the idea. Standing excitedly and letting the other books she’d been reading fall from her lap to the floor, she ran up to David. “I have it! I know how to get back.”

“What?” David answered, surprise and amazement etched in his features. He stood, grabbing her and picking her up to spin her around, the book smashed between their bodies. After a moment, he grinned and placed her back onto her feet. “So, how do we do it?”

“It won’t be easy, and we _will_ have to go to Rumple’s castle for more research. But if I’m correct, we should be able to make a mirror, mix the ashes into the sand for the glass and it should be able to take us to Storybrooke.”

“Ok,” he answered, nodding slowly. “I understand why the mirror can get us to Storybrooke, because you explained that, but you told me that mirrors usually can only take one person. Regina, I’m not going without you.”

Grinning, she shook her head. “You won’t have to. The portal for Emma was designed to carry two to another realm, so if I’m right, the mirror will as well.”

This time, David pulled the book from her hands and placed it page side down on a table, and he pulled her close to him, kissing her softly, surprising her. “I always knew you were a genius.”

“Damn right I am,” she answered easily against his lips, her eyes shifting between his before she rested her head against his shoulder.

“So when do we go to Rumple’s, and what for?” he asked, stroking her hair gently and keeping her close to his body, reassuring her again that he would be there for her always.

“We will leave the day after tomorrow if Mulan and Aurora are fine with it, and we’ll plan to stay for a few days, that way I can set up wards on the first day.”

“Didn’t you say he had wards?’

“Yes, and I believe that he would have set some to keep my mother out, but considering he believed her dead, just as I did, I’ve begun second guessing that assumption, so I’d rather set them anyway.”

“So how do we prevent an ambush like at my castle? I mean… to make sure she doesn’t get there before we do?”

“I don’t like it, but I’ll send myself there tomorrow, set the wards and then come back.”

“And you’ll be exhausted,” David sighed unhappily. “Regina… I don’t want you to keep wearing yourself out.”

“And I won’t, I just need to do this, and I’ll be fine. I’m not sure why my magic gets so exhausted here, it didn’t used to.”

“It doesn’t seem like there is much magic left in this land anyway. Perhaps that’s why.”

Pulling away from him and looking at his face, Regina nodded after a moment. “You’re brilliant. Why didn’t I think of that? I’m drawing on magic that barely exists anymore… so it’s tiring me out,” she stated, the revelation giving her a strange type of comfort.

“So, let’s take care of you, and we’ll prepare things here while you’re preparing things there.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

“And what do we need to search his castle for?”

“Books on magic portals. He would have more than I do, and he should have some type of book on creating magic portals. It was his forte for many years.”

“Alright. Then why don’t we get to bed for the night and rest up? Big day for you tomorrow and a big one to follow for us all.”

“Let’s go,” she agreed, taking his hand and pulling him with her. They shared a bed again that night; only this time they had the intention of doing so. Regina curled half her body on his chest and David held her close, wondering when exactly he’d grown so close to her.


	10. Chapter 10

When David woke, Regina was still sleeping, tucked into his side with her head on his bicep. He watched her, his eyes tired despite having slept so well beside her. Eyes tracing her face, he smiled at how serene she was as she slept, her thick, dark lashes laid against her smooth skin beneath her eyes. Her lips were parted just barely, her breaths soft and steady against his side. David tried to bring his arm up to wrap around her shoulders only to find that he couldn’t because the limb was asleep, dead weight. Chuckling, he bent his neck, pressing his lips softly to hers. He watched as her eyes fluttered open and the edges of her lips pulled back in a smile.

“Good morning, Regina,” he whispered. The way he said her name shot a shiver down her spine and she shook her head slightly.

“Good morning to you too, David,” Regina answered. “You don’t usually wake up before me.”

“No. But… you have a really heavy head and I can’t feel my arm,” he teased, grinning at her.

Narrowing her eyes, Regina pushed her palm flat on his chest and pushed herself up off him. “Fine. Maybe I’ll just send you back your own bed for tonight.”

“Hey, nobody said that was necessary. I’ll take an asleep arm any morning if it means waking up to your face.”

She smiled at him, sitting up and sighing. “I really don’t want to start today just yet.”

David sat up, leaning against the headboard and gripped her hips, pulling her toward him, sitting her in his lap. Regina chuckled and let herself straddle him, her knees pressed against the bed on either side of his thighs. Cupping his cheeks, she grinned when he leaned forward and caught her lips against his, kissing her slowly. His hands found her waist, then slowly dropped until he was holding her ass in his hands and pulling her harder against him.

She pulled away and shook her head. “David… no touching. Not like that.”

“Seems like you like it.”

“I do,” Regina groaned. “David, I do. It has been far too long since I’ve been touched so willingly. But you touching me like that is going to lead to more touching. And if you keep touching me that way, I’m not going to be able to stop.” Her fingertips ran down his jaw, her thumbs touching his neck.

Leaning into her touch, David pressed a chaste kiss to her mouth as he traced his hands up from her ass to her back, letting his fingertips run along the smooth line of her spine. He pulled back and smiled at her, saying, “So… touching is the gateway drug to sex?”

Regina let out a snort and pulled off his lap, chuckling while she rolled her eyes. “Yeah, see… now you can feel free to touch me all you want and I won’t even be tempted to sleep with you. Because you are a _child_.”

Chasing her as she moved away from him on the bed, David leaned forward and pinned her to the bed, her hands beside her head and his chest against her stomach. He smirked at her and grinned. “Okay, I promise I won’t touch you in a way that feels like I’m pushing too far.”

“You didn’t say uncomfortable.”

“No, because I can tell it doesn’t make you uncomfortable. It makes you want, and you don’t like wanting me.”

“Because you’re married. You have a wife and a daughter and I have a son who will hate me if he finds out that I slept with Snow White’s Prince Charming. David, we could sleep together every day and you could stay with Snow, still, and somehow if she found out, everyone would hate me even more than they do.”

“They would hate me for cheating.”

“Sure, but you’re forgivable. You’re their dopey, adorable and brave prince, if somewhat of an idiot.”

Shaking his head, David tilted her head up and pressed a kiss to her soft lips, parting them with his. He let his tongue slide between her lips as she opened her mouth to him and met his tongue with hers. The kiss was over too soon, and Regina dropped her head back against the bed with a smile that she couldn’t hold back.

“I should…  probably go start breakfast,” she whispered, his bright blue eyes staring at her. “I can’t go to the kitchen with you on top of me, dear.”

Chuckling, David nodded. “Why don’t I go start breakfast, and you stay here, warm and pretty. I’ll bring you something to eat when it’s done.”

“You don’t have to.”

“No, but you don’t have to cook every meal for us either.”

“I’m still not sleeping with you.”

“I’m still not asking,” David answered with a light laugh, pushing off Regina with a kiss to her cheek.

 

***

 

When Regina was in her room that afternoon preparing for her quick trip to Rumplestiltskin’s castle, David was sitting on her chaise, watching her.

“Are you sure you’re going to be safe? I can come with you,” he insisted as he watched her pace, considering exactly what she needed to do.

“David, I’ll be fine. I need you to stay here.”

Sighing, he stood and walked over to her, grasping her upper arms and stopping her from pacing. “You’re going to burn a hole in the floor if you keep going back and forth. You’re concerned about something. Let me help,” he pleaded.

“I can’t let you help. You need to stay here. If something happens to you, I won’t be able to go to Storybrooke and I’ll be stuck here with my mother, okay? I need you to be safe, and that means you need to stay here.”

“Fine. But the second it’s done, once the wards are set… you’ll come back here to rest?”

“I promise,” she answered, eyes switching between his.

“Ok. Be safe.” Pressing a soft kiss to her forehead, he then sat back down and watched as she gathered her things and disappeared in a cloud of purple smoke.

 

***

 

Regina landed outside of Rumple’s castle, some ward not allowing her to send herself directly into the castle. Taking a look around, she began walking quickly to the door of the gloomy structure. Less than five steps from the wooden door, Cora appeared, causing Regina to take two steps back in surprise.

“I figured I might find you here soon,” Cora said darkly.

“What are you doing here, mother?”

“I’m here for you, my dear child.”

“And what is it you want with me mother? You haven’t wanted me at any other point of my life, why start now?”

“I’ve given you everything! I was married to your incompetent father so that my child could have royal blood!”

“Don’t you _dare_ talk about daddy that way!”

“He was incompetent and foolish! He was a weak, pathetic excuse of a man!”

“Stop it!”

“You didn’t love him!” Cora shouted with a half chuckle. “Why are you defending him?”

“I loved him very much! More than anything in the world for quite a long time.”

“Yet you killed him to make yourself happy,” Cora shot back.

Holding her head up and turning it to the side just slightly, Regina tried to hold back the tears welling up in her eyes. “I know what I’ve done. I wouldn’t have been put in that position if you hadn’t raised me so horribly. What could you possibly want with me now, mother?”

“I’m here to help you. We can be together. Abandon Snow’s prince to find his own way home and come with me. Together we can rule all of the people of this land.”

“I’ve never wanted to rule anyone! I wanted to be free and to be happy! I wanted Daniel’s love and you wouldn’t let me have it!”

“You’re foolish! Love is weakness!”

“You were my weakness!” Regina screamed, waving her arms and sending Cora away. She stormed into the castle and hurried to build wards around all of the entrances in order to prevent Cora’s entry. Holding herself together, she traveled around the castle, setting wards against all the walls and rooms, making sure their stay would be safe. The castle had been looted, but thankfully that would no longer be an issue, and she believed her wards, plus the small ones against magical beings that Rumple had set previously, would keep Cora out. With a satisfied nod, she sent herself back to her castle.

 

***

 

David’s head shot up when Regina reappeared less than two hours after she had gone. Standing, he rushed over to her and felt her forehead, then took her arms in his hands and held her a moment, looking her over.

“You look ok. You’re safe,” he said softly, his voice more relieved than it should have been. Pulling her into a hug, David smiled into Regina’s dark hair, breathing in her scent. “You’re safe.”

“I’m safe. I’m… fine.” Her word broke on the last word, her eyes dropping as she pushed out of his hug and dropped her bow and quiver of arrows, followed by her satchel, to the floor. Moving away from him, Regina started a fire in her fireplace and began pacing slowly. David knew better than to ask her what was wrong before she was ready, so instead he sat down back on the seat he’d been in since she left for Rumple’s and waited, watching her cross in front of the fire, over and over.

Finally, after nearly ten minutes of silence, Regina let out a growl between her teeth and looked straight at David before she began pacing, raising her arms and clapping them down against her sides as she rambled. “El nervio que tiene! She treated me like a pawn my entire life and now she wants me to go to her? Ella quiere ser parte de mi vida? Absolutamente no! As if I would choose her over my son! Ella es una persona horrible y me hizo la persona horrible en la que me convertí. I’m just now figuring out how to be better… Como ser mi misma. I’m just now figuring out how to deserve henry! And she comes and tries to ruin me all over again.”

“Uh… Regina… I, uh, I don’t speak Spanish,” David said, tilting his head and standing to walk to her. He put his hands on her shoulders, stopping her once more from pacing. “You’ve gotta talk to me.”

“Cora.”

“Yes. Your mother.”

“She was there. Outside the castle,” Regina explained.

“What?” David yelled. “I knew it was a bad idea to let you go alone! What did she do to you? Did she hurt you?” He began to check her over again, despite her body looking completely intact when he checked the first time.

“Nothing but my feelings, David.”

Nodding, he pulled her against him in a hug, his jaw resting against her temple as he held her tightly. “Are you ok?”

“No. Not really.”

He didn’t respond, he just held her for a long time, waiting for her to hold him back. Eventually she did, wrapping her arms around his waist and closing her eyes against his chest. “David?”

“Yeah?”

“Thank you.”

“Anytime.”

 

***

 

The next day, when the entire group arrived to Rumple’s castle, they appeared outside of the doors, just as Regina had when she arrived on her own. This time, Cora was not in sight, so Regina led the other three into the castle and showed Mulan and Aurora into a room with two beds. Leading David down the hall, she pulled him into a room with two balconies and a bed, but not much else.

“I didn’t figure there was much sense to giving you a room of your own. I assumed you would just sneak in here anyway,” Regina told him, looking up at him through her eyelashes.

“You figured right.”  David pulled her closer to him, dropping his head to kiss her tenderly. He knew their kisses were getting too intimate instead of just being about companionship and scratching half the itch they both wanted to tend to so badly. Still, he couldn’t find himself minding. “So, where do we start?”

“The library, of course,” she answered, setting her traveling pack down and waiting for him to follow suit. Leading him out of the room with a gentle hold of his hand, Regina pulled him to the library.

“Wow… this is huge,” he whispered. “How are we supposed to find what we need in here?”

“Belle managed it, I’m sure there will be some type of organization to it.”

“Belle? Was she… is she the one who was his True Love?”

“Yes, the one and only.”

“How did she die, do you know?”

“Um… she didn’t actually die,” Regina answered, guiltily dropping her head. “I took her and locked her away.”

“So is she in Storybrooke?”

“Yes. That’s why he marked me for the wraith to take. I had her locked in the asylum.”

“Damn it, Regina, You can be quite the piece of work, you know?” David said, his tone angry. “What reason did you have to take her?”

“The same reason I took you. To hurt her True Love. I took her to hurt Rumple, for when it would be most beneficial to me.”

Sighing, David shook his head. “How… how can you be so normal right now, as you are, when you were so… you were a damned psycho as the queen.”

“I am well aware of that, _Prince Charming_ ,” Regina snapped. She felt his anger and that bothered her. David being upset with her never would have bothered her before that first kiss, and especially not before they were brought back to this land together. “Go look at some books, I’ll search over here, that way you don’t have to be near such a cold and heartless person.” She moved to the opposite side of the library from the direction he went, and exhaled a heavy breath. With a quick turn to see him searching book bindings for titles, Regina began to do the same, her shoulders dropping and her heart clenching at what she felt was the loss of her only friend.


	11. Chapter 11

David flipped through yet another book, not really reading the pages, not really even glancing at the words that littered each page. He knew he should actually be doing research, but that knowledge was futile when it did nothing to encourage him. Dropping another tome with undiscovered (to him, anyway) secrets, David sighed and left the library. He didn't even bother to tell Regina he was leaving, or where he was going.

Traveling through the high-walled hallways, he took turns he didn't know, walked through corridors he'd never seen, and passed doors to which he had no concern where they led. David thought, let his mind wander, remember, who Regina had been, why they were in this mess in the first place. She was evil, he found no problem with thinking that in the past tense, because that wasn't the woman she'd shown him over their weeks in this dangerous, practically vacant land. No, she'd shown him her humanity, even a little humility and a whole lot of kindness. She was beautiful and not just physically, as a whole person, her heart, her soul.

She was complicated, and his friend. Yes, her answer on what she'd done to Belle frustrated him, angered him, but that wasn't the person she acted like anymore and he kicked himself for treating her like it was. She'd performed magic, boatloads of it, in ways that had helped him, saved him. Everything she'd done since they'd been back was to help find a portal home, even when she hadn't been sure she wanted to go back. So no, she certainly didn't deserve his rude behavior and his poor attitude. With a heavy sigh, David turned around and began to head back the way he came.

There was a problem with his plan of walking until he cooled off; he didn't really have one. But he continued walking and walking, despite not knowing if he was making the correct turns. Finally, he found an exit door. Stopping to consider if he should take it and make his way back around to the entrance he knew, David put his fingers around the handle and was blasted back ten feet from the door, landing on his ass.

Less than thirty seconds passed before Regina was appearing in the hall beside him. She looked relieved, though he couldn't place why, so he asked.

"Because that was the protection ward! It's designed to block the use of any entrance unless I take it down," Regina answered, eyes dark, cold, black instead of the warm, chocolate brown he usually saw.

"Oh."

"What were you leaving for anyway?" She asked, keeping her tone bordering disinterest.

Raising his eyebrows, David blushed before saying, "I wasn't. Well, not really. I... uh, was wandering and thinking and I didn't pay attention to where I was going. I was uncertain how to find the library again, so I was going to walk around the outside of the castle to the entrance we used, then find it that way."

She let out a little huff of breath and an annoyed growl. "You're an idiot. Cora is still out there! Do you think she would hesitate to kill you?"

"I wasn't thinking, Regina, I'm sorry." The weight behind his last two words was too much for him to simply be talking about trying to leave, but Regina wasn't having it.

"Something you're guilty of quite often," she countered coldly. "I'll show you to the room, but your assistance in the library is no longer necessary."

"Did you figure it out?" She had started walking, fast-paced and with purpose, so David followed quickly.

"No, but I have no desire to be in the company of someone who finds me so repulsive."

"Regina, I don't, I shouldn't have acted that way, I'm sorry."

"Words mean little, _Charming_." They remained silent the rest of the walk until Regina led him to the room they'd stayed in the night before. David tried to speak again, wanting her to leave him on better terms again, but she held up her hand and shook her head. "Another apology will do nothing but help _you_ assuage your guilt, so save it."

"Regina--"

" _Charming, I said save it_!" With that, she turned around and hurried away, back to the library.

Once there, she felt that familiar anger and disappointment fill her veins as she tried to search through books. Unable to bring herself to concentrate on reading the pages, Regina left for the kitchen, hoping there would be something she could salvage from. She was surprised to find it stocked with food, as though some people has taken refuge in the castle and she momentarily felt guilty for taking away someone's safe place. Letting the guilt roll off her back, she found some meat and flour, some herbs and vegetables. Regina didn't make much, just enough to tide them over until they got back to her castle, hopefully the next day.

She ate before telling the others their meals were ready and where to find the kitchen, then returned to the library. She searched for, what felt like, another hour before she heard the door opening. Turning to find, of course, David, Regina didn't acknowledge him, instead choosing to continue flipping through books on portals and how to them.

He came to search the same side of the library as she did, staying close but not hovering, hoping it was enough to show her he meant what he'd said.

They worked late into the night, until the dimming of the sun had long switched to the low light of the moon and the burning candle was nearly out of wax. Regina left silently, and David followed, disappointed but not surprised to see her pass the room he'd stopped at. He let her be, understanding she wanted the space. 

•••

The next morning, after a long, lonely night, which was really only a couple of hours, as both got up with the first peek of the sunrise, both were back in the library. It wasn't long before David found a book strictly on mirror portals. Bringing it to Regina, he handed it over and watched as she flipped through it. He noticed when a light of knowledge appeared in her eyes, and then a frown took to her lips.

"What is it?"

"It appears we'll need a trip to Lake Nostos and to the sea. And once we get to my castle, we'll have to leave our companions behind. We need as much sand as the horses can carry."

"Anything else?"

"Nothing I won't already have or be able to conjure." David nodded silently at her response, then told her if she wanted to inform Aurora and Mulan, he would gather their things.

 •••

When they'd set up the other women in her castle, David and Regina each mounted a horse after tying the third to David's to follow. They travelled in silence, an ear-splitting thing it was, and Regina kept to her thoughts. She considered the twist their relationship had taken, the blurred lines they had been living their lives by. It was for the best really, that he'd been so quick to anger about a truth from her past; they were growing far too close as it was and she needed to separate herself from him before they took a step too far, too unforgivable.

It wasn't much travel time to Lake Nostos, and they arrived just before sunset. Using her magic, Regina punch a hole in the ground just big enough for a small stream to shoot up from the sand. She took out two vials, filling both up, then corking them.

David watched her as she worked, smiling affectionately at her brilliance. He then led her to a nearby clearing, deep enough in the woods that they wouldn’t be stumbled upon accidentally. “This is where I know, I’m not sure of another safe place to stay, but I assumed you wouldn’t want to travel to the sea in the dark.”

“Certainly not.” Her words were still clipped, still too short in their interaction and David was still disheartened. Pushing on, he tied the horses to a tree and set up his bedroll while he snuck glances at Regina setting up her own. She still wouldn’t budge, still wouldn’t look at him and he grew frustrated. It hadn’t even been much more than a day since he’d upset her, but he was missing her voice, missing her lips, missing her hand in his and their bodies against each other’s.

“Regina, please,” he began, walking toward her. She gave him a cursory glance, then focused her gaze on a bare patch of dirt. When he was in front of her, he cupped her cheeks in his hands, tilting her face up to look at him. “Please. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have acted that way when you’ve done more than enough to prove that’s not who you are anymore. I’m supposed to be by your side no matter what and I wasn’t acting very loyal. Let me show you I still am.”

“David… this-this is a bad idea. Maybe it’s for the best that you acted the way you did. Friends don’t act like this.”

“You and I do.” Leaning down, he pressed of soft kiss to her lips, brushing his thumbs over her cheekbones. “You’re my best friend. Don’t let me being a jerk ruin our friendship.”

“Why do you care? You should be happy to be rid of me before we go back and you have to return to Snow.”

“I care because like I told you, you’re my best friend and I intend for us to stay friends, even when we go home. You’ve proven yourself more than necessary, it’s time for me to prove myself. I can do that. Can you please forgive me?”

Tipping her head back, Regina tilted her jaw up, clenching it and giving him a small nod. “You’re an idiot. Apparently that’s going to work for you when it comes to gaining forgiveness.”

“The biggest idiot in the world,” he agreed quickly, causing Regina to narrow her eyes at him.

After that, he moved the placement of his bedroll so it was right next to hers, and they were laying on their sides, at least two feet between them, talking.

“What’s next?” he asked softly. “How exactly do we do the sand thing?”

Leaning up and propping her head on her hand, Regina rolled her lips together. “I will use a seashell to call for a mermaid I knew long ago. I will request her help, and that of her sisters, to fill all our buckets with the purest sand possible. Mermaids travel incredibly fast, it shouldn’t take long for them to obtain it and fill all the buckets, but you and I may have to double up on your horse tomorrow so we can use two horses to carry the sand.”

“And then we make the mirror," he guessed, earning a nod of agreement from Regina. "How long will that take?”

“Hopefully only a day or two, speeding up the lengthy processes with magic. We’ll mix the wardrobe ashes with the sand, pour a vial of the water over it, and then I will use magic for almost everything else.”

Nodding, David cast his eyes away before slowly raising them again to take in her dark features. “Can I ask you one more thing?”

“I suppose so,” she answered softly, voice low and breaching a yawn.

“You said we’d pour _a_ vial of the water over it. What do you plan to do with the other vial?”

“That’s personal.”

“You can talk to me, Regina.”

She didn’t say anything for several minutes, ignoring the encouragement that she could open up with him. They laid there, silently looking at each other for a while, but eventually David leaned toward her and pressed a kiss to her forehead, squeezing her shoulder and then turning over.

•••

When they woke at dawn, David leaned up on his elbows and stomach and smiled to himself as she blinked herself awake. Regina crooked an eyebrow at him, asking what he found so amusing.

"Nothing. It just seems unrealistic that you should be so easy on the eyes in the morning. Doesn't seem fair," he mused, giving an easy grin.

"Do those lines truly come so easy to you, _Charming_? Or do you have to think hard on them? Practice all night what to say to flatter your bedmate?" she snarled, obviously unamused at his flirtatious words.

"I would hardly call you my bedmate," David countered, shrugged as he sat up. "Perhaps in the technical manner of speaking, yes, but we've not done much for us to acquire the particular name for each other."

"No, we have not, nor will we."

“Alright, and moving on.” He pushed himself to stand and started packing up the few belongings they’d brought. Once everything was tucked into his bedroll, and Regina had packed her own up, David took care strapping them onto the horses. It wasn’t long until he and Regina were making their way to the sea.

The ride was long, but not terribly, and they had left early enough to make it there before midday. Regina asked David to tie up the horses while she walked along the beach, searching. She didn't find what she was looking for until David walked up behind her. Bending to pick up the conch shell, Regina smirked and brought it to her lips, whispering her beckoning for the mermaid to come to them.

When vibrant red hair emerged from the ocean, Regina asked David to get their buckets. She recalled how she had left the mermaid; voiceless and prince-less. She doubted that one more reminder of who she had been would help her strange relationship with David. Regina did not allow herself to dwell on why his opinion of her truly mattered. With a wave of her hand, the mermaid's voice was returned.

"What do you want from me?" she asked.

"Ariel, is it? I require the help of you and your sisters."

"And why would I help you, of all people?" Ariel snarled. Of course, David returned with the buckets and Regina looked at him before returning her eyes to the mermaid.

"Do you see this man?" When she received a nod from the redhead, she continued. "This is Snow White's Prince."

"Are you going to kill him?"

Regina gave an amused laugh, shaking her head. "No, no. He's my friend. Much has happened since the days of my hunt for Snow White. David and I were sent here accidentally, and I'm trying to return to my son, and to return him to his wife. In order to do so, I need to create a portal. That is where you come in." Gathering the buckets from David, Regina tossed them into the sea beside Ariel. "I need for you and your sisters to bring me the purest sand you can find, fill the buckets as much as possible, quickly, then return here."

"I still see no incentive to helping you," the mermaid said defiantly. "You ruined my chance at happiness."

Regina looked at David, checking his face for some reaction, but he was staring at the woman in the water with the best poker face she'd ever seen him give. "Because I know where your prince is. He's in a land called Storybrooke, and should you do me this favor I will make you a cuff like the one I made before, only there will be no stipulations and no one will control your legs but you."

"How can I trust that you will?"

"Perhaps you cannot trust me, but you can trust him, he's as honorable and kind as you perceived Snow White to be."

"Then why is he traveling with you?"

"He is merely using me. I have magic and the ability to get him where he needs to be," she answered, voice low. With a nod and and agreement, Ariel grabbed the buckets and swam away.

Taking her hand once the mermaid was gone, David pulled Regina to him and tilted her chin up with one hand. "What did you do to her?"

"I took away her voice so she couldn't call to her prince. I manipulated her into trapping Snow by pretending to be Ursula, the sea witch. I nearly killed Snow in front of her, that was the closest I ever got to your dear wife." Regina rambled them off like a list, detached herself from it, afraid of what his reaction would be.

But David had learned his lesson from his reaction about Belle, and all he did was pull her close to him in a tight hug. "Regina, you did the right thing today, that's what matters. You could have threatened her or her sisters, instead you offered something that would make her happy. That's the Regina I know, the one I've come to care for."

"You're not getting pissed this time? Not going to accuse me of being such a horrible person?" she asked doubtfully.

"No. That's not how I feel and I'm sorry my previous actions allowed you to feel like that. I was an asshole and you deserve a thousand times better than that."

Eyeing him doubtfully, Regina gave an eventual nod and moved away, finding a seat in the sand. David following, dropping next to her and laying down, settling his head on her thighs. She looked down at him in amusement and raised her eyebrows.

"Sure, make yourself at home," Regina said sarcastically, but she started playing with his hair. "David... why do you think it was so easy for us to become friends here? If we had stayed in Storybrooke and you'd been with your wife, so this sexual tension between us wouldn't be here, do you think we'd have become friends?"

Humming, David nodded and grinned up at her. "I like to think so. There's Henry and he'd want to spend time with you and time with us, get to know the rest of his family. And I feel like, after all the mess about the town wanting to kill you calmed down, we would've figured out how to coexist."

"Are you sure you're not being overly optimistic?"

David smirked and rolled off her, kneeling at her feet and gripping each ankle in a hand, pulling them apart. Crawling in the space between her legs. David chuckled when his face reached hers and he nipped at her lip. "I think I'm very grateful for things turning out this way, and I'm glad we became so close," he said softly. His hands were on either side of her hips and David urged her down onto her back, though she stayed propped up on her elbows. "We're friends, and I care a great deal about that. Stop doubting it, okay?"

With a nod, she agreed, though David knew he'd probably have to reassure her at least once a day until they got home, then continue back in Storybrooke. Leaning down, he kissed her, his body now hovering over hers and their legs tangled together. Regina deepened the kiss, and in her upset she let it get too far, before long they were wrapped around each other, rocking their hips together and she could feel him hard against her hip.

Flipping them, she straddled his lap and began grinding her hips on him. David's hands came up and cupped her breasts, something she didn't allow, but she wanted his touch, wanted that moment to corrupt him further. Regina brought her own hands up to cover his, squeezing to let him know it was okay. Pushing himself up, David held his weight on one palm behind him, his other hand wrapping around the back of her neck. David pulled her down to kiss him, his tongue snaking out as she continued rolling herself on his lap.

"Regina," he whispered, his lips and tongue trailing down her neck. She was tugging at his hair and he loved it, wanted more of it. He wanted her, every bit of her she hadn't given him. Their kiss deepened, teeth biting tongues and lips hungrily, then soothing and tasting, exploring and wanting and it was unlike any moment they'd shared before.

"David," Regina moaned in response, desperation evident in her voice, but then she heard splashing and she jerked from him. Standing abruptly from his lap, she turned. Grateful to see it wasn't the mermaids returning, just a high tide hitting the shore, Regina straightened her clothes and looked down at David. "That cannot happen."

"You seemed very into it until you were ripped from the moment," he said smugly.

Giving him an unamused glare, she shook her head. “Yes, well the moment is now lost. And besides, had that been our mermaid friend, who _is_ good friends with your wife, or was anyway, what do you think would stop her from telling your wife what she saw? After all, I’m sure she intends to use her legs to find her prince, and unfortunately, your wife has an innate ability to insert herself in everyone’s business.”

David sighed and pushed himself up. “Fine, you’re right. I will behave myself until we’re back at the castle.”

“You should probably behave yourself from now on.”

“Regina… you were practically dry humping me two minutes ago,” David argued with a half-laugh. “What’s going on?”

“We’re… we should be home in less than three days, David. You should probably be preparing yourself for seeing your wife again. You need to not be thinking of me in such a manner when you have a wife to go home to, one who will probably be very ready to take you to bed after so many years apart, so perhaps you should be thinking about that.” She wouldn’t let herself admit what the churning in her stomach at those words meant, instead tried to convince herself it was merely because she could imagine how good David would be in bed. Still, Snow having one more thing back, having happiness in her life once more annoyed Regina and if David wasn’t her friend, she would be more tempted to take the younger woman’s happiness right out from underneath her, like Snow had done to her so many years before.


	12. Chapter 12

The mermaid returned as the evening was nearing, the sun heading towards setting. She brought her sisters, each carrying a bucket of the whitest sand Regina had ever seen. David tried to convince her to stay the night by the beach, saying they could head back in the morning, but she insisted they start the mirror as soon as they reached the castle, which she wanted to do that night.

It was with a heavy sigh that David nodded and tied the buckets to rope across the second horse's back. Once their things were all packed and ready, Regina mounted the horse, followed by David. The ride back was silent, calm, though Regina knew David wanted to talk, she wasn't in the mood. When they were back at the castle, she unloaded everything with magic, pleased to be able to use it again.

She started walking through the halls, once everything was taken care of, with David hot on her heels. He wasn't familiar with where she was headed, but followed regardless. When she opened a heavy door, David spotted the buckets of sand, lined up in an even row and ready for whatever it was she needed to do. He tugged on her arm lightly, pulling her to face him.

"Tomorrow, please? I'm just asking that you wait one more night before you start whatever you need to do to make that a mirror," David requested gently.

Looking up at him, his clear blue eyes visible and bright even in the dim light of candles, Regina sighed and nodded. "Tomorrow, then. No other delays."

He nodded back, agreeing, "No other delays. Not unless you want one."

"It won't change things."

"I know. We'll still go back, I'll go to my family and Henry will come to you. And we'll be friends, and it'll change. I know."

David said it with such finality and certainty, that it made Regina's heart ache, but she wouldn't admit why or what it meant about the turn her feelings for him had taken. "Good," she muttered, slowly letting one of her walls rebuild itself around her heart, one she'd put into place long ago and foolishly had allowed to drop in David's care.

"Good." He brought his hand to her forehead, fingers brushing her hairline as he tilted her head back and captured her mouth in a hard and rough kiss. His other hand moved from her arm, pressing against the small of her back and pushing her body against his. David moved to deepen the kiss, and while just as passionate as any they'd shared, he changed it. It was no longer tender and careful, but wanting and needy.

Bringing her arms up and curling them over the back of his shoulders, Regina closed the last space between their bodies, kissing him back, their tongues sliding together heatedly and knowingly. They both understood that the number of kisses, of moments, between them was dwindling, and neither cared for the teasing caress of their desires any longer. She nipped at his bottom lip, that full flesh she'd grown so used to, and David let out a low growl, pushing her back against the nearest clear wall. He tugged the string that tied her leather vest together, the material falling open and allowing him to pop open the buttons down the front of her white shirt.

Bending his neck, David nipped and kissed and sucked along her jaw and neck until his mouth was on her clavicle, biting roughly, his stubble leaving rough red marks in his wake. His fingers had moved lower to tangle in her hair and he tugged her head back roughly.

She released a heavy moan through his name, her hands moving to grasp his face and tug him back up to her mouth. Regina kissed him deeply, slowly, tampering down the heat between them before things went too far as they nearly had by the ocean. When she pressed a soft kiss against his swollen lips, David sighed and rested his forehead against hers, dropping both his hands to take hers.

"Good," he muttered again, and she almost let herself believe there was more disappointment laced in his tone than she knew there was.

 

The next morning David woke up still holding Regina. Her body was tucked close to him, his chest along her back and their legs tangled together. He had one arm bent at the elbow and supporting her head against the pillow, his other wrapped around her body, her hand squeezing his to her chest. Sighing softly, David considered how much he would miss this, miss _her_ , and tried, instead, to remember he would be back with his wife and his daughter. He intended on keeping his promise to Regina, they would stay friends and spend time together. There was no way he was going to let her get so lonely again, no one deserved that. Regina didn't deserve that.

Regina shifted against him, yawning and turning in his arms to look up at him. Her chocolate eyes were bright with renewal from her sleep, and she smiled softly at him. "Good morning," she murmured, pressing her face into his shoulder to hide from the sun.

"Good morning, Regina."

"We can eat breakfast first, and inform Mulan and Aurora that it's time for them to leave."

"Okay," he whispered in response, smiling softly at her and bending his neck to kiss her, just barely brushing his lips against hers. "You don't want to wait until we're gone to make them leave? What about your mother?"

"I'm going to send them to Rumple's castle, since it was obvious there were people staying there, I think they can keep them protected, and if not, Mulan can handle it; she's an excellent warrior. My mother, however, she can't stand against. The castle will provide some protection from her until it's safe to move on."

David grinned, kissing her again, then said, "I like how good you are, beneath all those layers of snark and grumpiness."

"Shut up. I'm going to make breakfast."

 

After the group ate, Regina gave the other two women several minutes to gather their things. She told them of the plan she'd relayed to David, to which they agreed and thanked her for. The goodbye was harder on Regina than she thought it would be, the friendship she had made with them hesitant, but there, and she had enjoyed people being on her side, for once. But as soon as they were set and ready to go, Regina sent them to the Dark Castle with a wave of her arms and all that was left behind were the last remnants of purple smoke. David wrapped his arm around her waist, but it was only a moment before Regina stepped away, telling him they should get started.

They walked through her castle to the room with the supplies. When they got there, The pair shoved two long tables together, and Regina used magic to seal them together to make one large table. After that was finished, they dumped all the sand onto the surface, and Regina added three vials of powder, including the ashes from the wardrobe. She scanned the pages of the book they'd retrieved from Rumplestiltskin's castle, then added the vial of water from Lake Nostos.

David watched as her magic mixed the small vials' contents into the sand, amazed at her power and abilities once more. They both then used the edge of his sword and her dagger to straighten the sand into a flat and large rectangle, big enough for both of them to walk through.

When Regina was satisfied, she turned to David. "I need you to find as much of the shiniest metal throughout the castle as possible."

"Okay. Do you want it to be flat or will you be able to do that, too, even after all this magic?" he asked gently, concerned that she was going to wear herself out.

"Find anything flat and bring that first, otherwise, yes, I'll manipulate it if I have to."

Nodding, David left the room, heading to the kitchen to start. He found several flat metal sheets used for cooking in the ovens. It wasn't nearly enough, but it was a start, so he headed back to the room where Regina was to leave them before he searched for more.

When he returned and opened the door, the room was blazing hot, and Regina was holding fire over the perimeter of the sand, slowly pushing it inward, covering the entire surface. David could tell she was cooling the room as she worked, and he wanted to tell her to slow down and take it easy, to not push herself so hard, but he knew she wouldn't listen.

 

By time the sand had properly melted, David had found enough metal for Regina to mold into a thin sheet big enough to lay on the back of the forming glass. It didn't have to be perfect, just good enough, which it was. Once they were done with that, David asked what was next.

"Now we let it cool. I'll assist if need be tomorrow night, once I've rested."

"And how do we know the glass won't stick to the table?" he prompted.

Giving him an unimpressed raise of her eyebrows and purse of her lips, Regina said, "Because I thought of that and protected it."

"So... how long?"

"Tomorrow will be our last day and night here. We will return the following morning."

"Oh. Well... alright, then."

 

The next evening, after they'd eaten and relaxed as David insisted, Regina went to check on the mirror. It was nearly finished, and that felt bittersweet. She wanted her son, had missed him beyond words. But she didn't want to lose her friendship with David, didn't want to go back to being alone, if Henry chose Emma still.

It took minimal magic until the mirror was cool to the touch, and David pleaded with her to let him help her lift it instead of using magic to set it upright. The act proved rather difficult, but they managed to get it standing against one wall. The mirror stood just slightly taller than David, and wide enough to walk through, standing close together. The reflection was distorted, since they didn't have proper metal, but Regina told David it didn't matter, it would get them home anyway.

The night had settled enough that David didn't protest when she requested they go to bed. So with conflicting thoughts in their heads and diverging emotions in their hearts, they headed back to Regina's room, the room they'd been sharing for what seemed like ages now.

David climbed onto the big bed first, wearing only his boxers, and Regina changed behind a room divider. When she stepped around it, his breath caught at the sight of her in a short, chocolate colored gown, though he'd seen her in similar sleepwear before, this would be the last time. She didn't go straight to the bed, moving to her wardrobe instead, and pulling out the satchel she'd been using. Regina reached in, taking out the second vial of water from Lake Nostos and carrying it with her to the bed.

Sitting down on the edge of the bed, she set the vial on the nightstand when she felt David's hand on her arm.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked softly, moving to sit beside her.

"Did you know that Snow was once made barren? George told me he gave her a curse so she couldn't have children."

"What? But... we had Emma," David answered in confusion.

Regina nodded softly. "Yes, you had Emma. When I found out she was pregnant, I searched and searched for answers. I didn't want her to be able to have a child, to have a family, when she'd taken my possibility for that away. I found out that you had all traveled to the lake, that she had drank water from it and it healed her."

"How did you know?"

"My mirror found out for me, I don't know how or who he spied on to get the answers, I didn't care to ask. All I cared about was how she'd won, once again."

David thought on her words for a moment, clarity washing over him and he pulled her against him, tucking her head beneath his chin. "How did it happen?" he asked gently, not wanting to push if she didn't want to tell him.

"I asked Rumplestiltskin to curse me. Not at first... at first I thought that even if I didn't want to marry the king, maybe a baby could be my light in the darkness, maybe it could make me happy. Initially, Leopold wasn't terrible, he'd been searching for a wife and how was he to know I didn't want to be his? My mother answered yes for me, but he didn't have proof that I had no desire to be married to him."

She shrugged, tears pooling in her eyes at the memories. "But after the first night he became rough, demanding. He told me he wanted an heir and whenever I didn't fall pregnant, he was angered and blamed me, my lack of desire for him and for a child, and then I found out I was pregnant. The baby didn't survive, and I was devastated. I didn't want to go through that again, and I didn't want to give him another heir, a possible male who would take the throne and follow in his father's footsteps. So... I spoke to Rumplestiltskin."

"Regina... I'm so sorry," David whispered, squeezing her tighter against him. "The vial then... you want to have a baby now?"

"I don't know." Pulling back, she looked up at him and rolled her lips together. "Not that I have anybody who wants to give me a child anyway. I just want the option. Does that make me a horrible mother?"

"To Henry? No, not at all. Many people have more than one child, it doesn't mean they love their first any less."

Regina nodded, picking up the vial and looking at it. "I will never love anyone the way I love Henry. But the idea of having another child, even the possibility of it... I always wanted two or three, so they could be friends and play together and never get lonely. I know now that what I did to Henry was selfish... bringing him into my world, where he would be the only person aging. He didn't ask for that."

Cupping her cheek, David tilted her head up so she was looking at him. "You are a good mother, Regina."

"And how would you possibly know that? You've been in a coma, you barely know me or Henry."

"Because think about who he is. Henry is _good_. He is kind, loving, hopeful. He has manners and cares about the happiness of those around him. Granted, he's not perfect, and I've seen him be hurtful toward you, but we all do that to our parents at some point, because we know they'll love us no matter what, or they should, so you should take it like that, because I've seen him angry with you, but I also saw him ask Emma, very upset mind you, to make sure you weren't hurt, because you're his mom."

"Thank you, David."

Taking the vial from her hands, he uncorked it and held it out to her. "I think you should drink it. I think Henry would love to be an older brother, and you won't be alone this time. You'll have Henry and me, I can be like... the baby's fun uncle or something."

Regina smiled up at him, nodding and taking the water back. She nearly chugged it, anxious to have it (hopefully) work. When the small bottle was empty, she set it back on the table beside the bed and shifted to the middle. "We should sleep."

 

David woke in the middle of the night, his nerves jumbled up about going back home. He pressed his face against the back of Regina's neck, and tugged her tighter against him with the arm he had wrapped around her waist. Breathing her in, he pressed a soft kiss to her skin after brushing her hair aside with his nose. Then he kissed her again. Her skin was warm against his lips, her body tiny in his arms.

Regina stirred, slightly groggy, but aware of his lips. She turned in his arms, tilting her head back enough to clearly see his features. Before she could say or do anything else, David pressed his mouth to hers. He kissed her fervently, his tongue finding hers and sliding along it. Regina hesitated a moment, but gave in to him, her arms wrapping around his shoulders, one hand moving to the back of his head and holding him close.

Their kisses had always been heated, hot and delicious and passionate, but somehow this moment felt different, sweeter and needier, like goodbye, but also like they weren't ready for that. She moaned softly into his mouth when he pushed her onto her back, covering her body with his and laying on her, holding his weight off her on one elbow. Shifting beneath him, Regina brought her knees up, squeezing his hips between her thighs and whimpering when she felt his arousal against her.

David took her in, his eyes running over her features, the softness of her expression from waking in the middle of the night, and he leaned down to kiss her again. Instinctively, he started moving against her, and Regina did the same, their hips rocking together, heavy breaths mingling between their kisses. Moving his lips down her jaw, David sucked lightly down her neck, nipping her skin and licking it as they moved.

His hips shifted higher, and Regina's breath hitched when his hardness rubbed against her clit and she let out a reedy moan. She nudged her chin against his forehead, wanting his mouth back on hers. David complied, their lips and tongues moving together once more in tandem with their bodies.

Regina clutched his body tighter as he moved on her, kissing him deeper than before. Her nails dug into him as she let out a throaty cry, coming undone beneath him even through their underwear. David pulled his face away, taking in the bliss filled expression on her face before pressing his mouth to her collarbone and sucking as one hand slid to her breast, kneading it through the thin silk of her nightdress. His thumb brushed over the peak of her nipple and Regina let out a soft whimper at the touch, kissing his hairline as he sucked at her skin.

It took him less than a full minute more before his hips were jerking erratically as he came in his boxers. David pressed his forehead into her neck, relaxing his body on top of hers before she nudged him off and climbed off the bed, retrieving clean underwear for both of them. Neither watched as the other changed, though once he was certain she was decent, David pulled her back against him and wrapped his arm around her waist, spooning her once more as they fell back into sleep.

 

When they woke up in the morning, Regina let herself relax further into his hold, sad this would be the last morning she woke up with him. But he belonged to someone else, someone else whom he would be going back to in less than two hours. Sighing, she turned in his arms and kissed his jaw.

"It's time to wake up, David," she whispered, kissing him once more.

His eyes opened slowly, the beautiful blue eyes she'd learned so well looking at her with a small sadness all their own. "Was it real?" he asked, his voice scratchy from sleep.

"Yes," Regina answered, a blush covering her cheeks despite her attempt to not let it show. David leaned into her, kissing her sweetly before he pulled away and sat with his legs over the edge of the bed.

It took her a moment, but she knew guilt was plaguing him. They'd made it so long without crossing that line, and even though they hadn't had sex, there were mutual orgasms, and that was enough to bother him. Regina walked to him on her knees, resting her chin on his shoulder and cupping his cheek to turn his face to her.

"It's okay, David. It-it doesn't matter, it doesn't count," she reasoned. "We weren't even... we were wearing clothes, I've never even seen you naked, and you haven't seen me, not in that context. You don't have to tell her. And you don't have to feel bad. It doesn't count, okay?" Pressing a kiss to his shoulder, Regina moved to hug him, pushing aside the sadness in her heart at telling him that what they did didn't matter, because to her it did. But he needed to know it was okay, that he didn't have to go share his indiscretion with his wife and hurt her after so many years spent apart at Regina's hand.

David looked at her, taking her face in his hands and kissing her once more, fast and hard and eager. It didn't last, and when he pulled away, he rested his forehead against hers. "We should probably go," he finally whispered, earning a nod from Regina.

"Gather anything you want to take back with you and we'll go."

"I can take something back?"

"Of course. I'm taking a few things back."

David thought a moment. "Can I take the bow and arrows you let me use here?"

"Of course. Is there anything else you want?"

"No. Not in particular."

"Then get ready and we'll go."

 

Fifty minutes later they were both dressed in the clothing they'd arrived in. Regina had packed a few things in Graham's satchel, which was strapped over her shoulder and across her chest. David took her hand into his and they walked to the room with the mirror. Once they were standing in front of it, they looked at each other and Regina nodded. She reached her free hand up to touch the mirror and watched her fingers disappear through it.

"Just think of where you want to be and we'll get there," Regina instructed. She then moved forward, stepping through the glass and pulling David with her.

"Regina?! David?" a familiar voice cried. Regina's eyes shot up and and she dropped David's hand when she looked around to find they were in Snow's loft apartment.


	13. Chapter 13

Snow practically jumped into David's arms, and he pulled her into a tight hug. Regina shifted awkwardly beside them. Her eyes flickered to a clock on the wall and it was late evening in Storybrooke. She frowned, not realizing there would be a difference in the time. When David let go of his wife, Regina nudged him and pointed to the clock.

"We left in the morning, though?" he said, confusion etched in his features.

Realizing that there must have been a time difference or something, Regina asked, "Snow, how long were we gone?"

"Ten days. How did you get back? I didn't know there were mirror portals that led here!" she answered, looking at David as she spoke, but David's eyes were on Regina.

"That can't be right. We were gone over three weeks!"

"Yes, I'm not sure how it works, but apparently time is different here than in the Enchanted Forest. Perhaps you should ask Rumplestiltskin," she countered.

Snow shook her head slowly. "Why would David need to? You're the one who created this mess!"

"Forgive me for not wanting to talk to the man that put a death sentence on my life that caused this in the first place!" Regina snapped.

"No, she's right, Snow. I don't want her anywhere near Gold," David argued defensively. "I'll talk to him tomorrow."

"Where's my son?" Regina asked, moving further into the apartment to look around for Henry.

"He and Emma went out for ice cream," the other woman muttered. "You can go home, I'll tell him you're back and he can decide for himself if he wants to see you. You shouldn't be here when he gets back."

"Excuse me?"

Snow looked as though she was trying to gather her gumption. "Well, we shouldn't force him to see you if he isn't ready," she answered meekly.

"Snow, he's her son! Of course he'll want to see her," David argued, surprising Regina.

The front door opened and Regina's head shot up, suddenly nervous that maybe Snow was right, maybe Henry _didn't_ want to see her.

Her worries were put to rest when Henry saw David and smiled excitedly, then he rounded the corner and saw Regina. It only took half a second from then until his body was slamming into hers, his face burying into her neck. When he pulled away, he looked up at her with amazement. "You're back!"

"Yes, sweetheart. I'm back." Her eyes flickered to David, and she amended, "We're back."

"How did you do it?"

"David and I built a mirror portal. We just came through," Regina answered, cupping his face and looking at him lovingly. He didn't hate her. He was _happy_ she was back.

Henry turned to look at David with wide eyes. "You did?" he asked, his voice taking a tone of amazement.

"Hey, don't look at me," David answered. "I just did the heavy lifting, your mom did all the work. It was impressive. Her power and magic got us back here."

"You're still using magic?" Henry asked, turning to look at Regina sadly. "I hoped you wouldn't use magic anymore. It's bad."

Tears threatened to raise in Regina's eyes, and she looked at her son with the same sad look he was giving her.

"Henry," David said, bending slightly to look the boy in the eye. "If your mom hadn't used magic, we wouldn't be here. She did so much good for us, and she saved me many times with it. And she saved our friends, too."

Taking in David's words, Henry nodded slowly. "You made friends?"

Regina cupped Henry's chin, tilting it up to look at her. "We did. You'll know of them, of course. Mulan and Aurora."

"Sleeping Beauty? But I thought she was asleep?"

"True love's kiss woke her. Just like with David and Snow. But yes, they helped us with our journey to get back to you. To get David back to... to Snow and Emma."

As though hearing his daughter's name shocked him from the moment, David looked at her, taking her in. He reached for her, pulling her into a hug, his hand cupping the back of her head. "I've missed you," he whispered, tears filling his eyes. "It's good to be back."

"Uh, yeah. It's good to have you back, David," Emma answered, hugging him back hesitantly.

Regina looked down at Henry again, giving him a soft smile. "You just got back from having ice cream?"

"Yep! Rocky road!"

Chuckling, she smiled and ran her fingers through his hair. "That's my boy." Regina hesitated, looking at the other adults, then bending to look him in the eyes. "I'm going to go home now, but maybe... maybe you can come see me soon?"

"Okay," Henry said, nodding eagerly. "Maybe tomorrow?"

"I'm not sure that's the best idea, Henry," Emma interjected.

"And you say this as the person who has been parenting for all of five seconds?" Regina snapped.

David stepped between the women, resting one hand on Regina's shoulder and shaking his head. "I'll go tomorrow with Henry," he said, looking between his daughter and Regina. "And if everything goes smoothly, which I have no doubts that it will, Regina gets to see her son as much as he wants."

"What the hell are you thinking, David?" Emma growled.

"We can't trust her," Snow cut in.

"Yes, we can." David looked at his family and shook his head. "Regina is my friend, and I trust her, with my life in fact, so for now you're going to have to trust me."

Regina sighed, nodding slowly in agreement to having David there for her to see Henry. At least it was David and not one of the others. "So, tomorrow?" Regina asked Henry, squeezing his shoulder.

He nodded eagerly, wrapping his arms around his mother's waist in another hug. "I'm really glad you're back."

"Me too, sweetheart." She pulled away from him, giving him a soft smile. "I'd better get going, but I'll see you then. I love you."

"I love you, too, mom."

Regina felt her lip quivering a little at his easy reply, and she quickly covered it with another smile. Moving away from him, she nodded at the three adults and started making her way to the door. David hesitated, looking at Snow quickly, then following Regina.

"Let me drive you home," he offered, ever the gentleman.

"No, that's okay," Regina declined, pulling the door open.

"Just let me. You live all the way across town and... and we don't know how people will react to you being back."

Her eyes flicked to Snow, who looked utterly perplexed. She opened her mouth to argue it again, but something pleading in David's expression had her nodding. "Okay. Thank you. And would it be okay if we stopped at the grocery store, too? I doubt anything in my house is edible."

"Yeah. Just uh, let me grab my keys." David moved back toward Snow, squeezing her arm and telling her he'd be back soon. His eyes swept the kitchen, but Snow moved toward the row of hooks by the door, reaching into one of the coats and taking out his keys.

"Here you go," she said softly, resigned and disappointed at his need to get Regina home safely.

David walked back to the door, taking the keys from her and nodding. "Thanks, I'll see you soon," he reminded her, then motioned for Regina to go ahead of him.

Neither of them spoke on their walk down to his car, nor when he started the engine and put it in gear. It wasn't until they were on their way to the grocery store that David murmured, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't be using you to avoid my family."

"Why are you?" she asked softly.

"I just... I know we've been trying to get back, and it feels good to be home, to see them again, but it also feels like a lot of pressure."

"I can imagine. David, it'll be alright. Snow loves you, and Emma will learn to. Just relax; don't think about the pressure."

"She was so closed off when we were pulled through the hat, she didn't even want to talk about us being her parents, and when Snow pushed, she was upset with us for not letting her be cursed with us."

Regina reached over, resting her hand on his arm. "David, just make it clear you're there for her, and then let her come to you. And you have a good reason for not letting her be cursed, explain that."

"We tried. She didn't want to hear it."

"Maybe Snow made some progress while we were away."

"Yeah, maybe she did."

 

They didn't talk much after that, but David took comfort in the fact that he was still, for the time being, in her company. When he pulled into the parking lot for the grocery store, he squeezed her hand lightly, then reminded her that no one would bother her if she was with him. Regina gave him an uneasy nod, and they headed inside.

It was a quick trip, picking up simple necessities for her refrigerator, and some easy meals for her to make for herself. She didn't know how often Henry would be with her, or if he would bother to actually return home at all, at least with any type of permanence. She hated that thought; it was his home for his entire life, and now Emma was acting as though Regina couldn't be trusted, as if she couldn't mother her son. Sure, she'd been the Evil Queen, but she was, at the very least, a decent mother to Henry. She taught him well, gave him anything he needed and most of what he wanted. She'd raised him.

David had been right, nobody bothered them at the store, aside from a few wayward glances. She'd realized she didn't have her purse with her, so David asked the clerk kindly to let him return the next day to pay for the groceries, and since he was their Prince, the clerk had allowed it. They left the store, returning to the truck with two bags full of her chosen items.

 

Regina chuckled softly to herself when David loaded up his arms with her groceries and they started up the walk to her house.

"What's funny?" David asked.

"Deja vu?"

"Ah. Yeah, this is familiar, isn't it?"

Regina nodded and grabbed the door handle, having already forgotten again she didn't have her purse, so she also didn't have her keys. Shrugging, she waved her hand over it and unlocked the door. She stepped inside, holding the door for David and closing it once he was inside. They headed into her kitchen and Regina looked around with a furrowed brow.

"Time really was different here. I thought maybe Snow was... I don't know, confused or something." She noted the apples in the bowl on her island were slightly wrinkled, but not as rotted as they should have been for how much time had passed in the Enchanted Forest.

David laughed lightly, shaking his head. "You thought she was confused about how much time had passed?"

Regina gave a soft hum, searching through the bags he'd set down and pulling out like items. She put some of the refrigerated items away, moving through to check for any spoiled foods. "Well, she was probably beside herself, she could very well have been in denial or something. She's not exactly--" Regina cut herself off, looking at him apologetically. After a pause she said, "You should go home, David."

"I know. I am."

Regina turned to look at him, noticing that he was still standing in the same spot by the island and watching her. She walked to him, taking his hand and tugging him to face her. "Dear, you will be fine. Just settle your nerves about Emma, and be yourself, she'll love you, she's your daughter."

"Thanks, Regina. See me out?"

She nodded, walking with him to the door. David turned, pulling her into a hug. Regina hesitated a moment, then brought her arms up around his shoulders, her elbows bent crossing her forearms around his neck.

"You'll be fine," she told him again, this time as a soft whisper into his ear. "I promise. And if you need to talk, I'm here. Okay?" Regina said the words, not really believing he would come to her, not once he settled back in with his family and their bad views of her.

David nodded, pulling from the hug slowly. "Thank you. I'll see you tomorrow, with Henry."

Giving a curt nod, Regina moved to open the door, letting him out. "See you then." Once he was gone, she closed and locked the door, leaning against it and sighing. She was all alone again.


	14. Chapter 14

Regina busied herself the best she could all day to make the time go by faster. She baked brownies, one of Henry's favorite desserts, and started her lasagna when noon passed and they hadn't come yet. She figured if they weren't there for dinner she could at least pack some for Henry to take, since it was one of his favorite meals (and David had been fond of it, too).

Preparations for the lasagna were done by half past one, and Regina covered it, sliding it into the preheated oven. She decided to change her clothes, wanting to wear more than jeans and a t-shirt for Henry; this was special after all, him coming over. And maybe part of her wanted to look nice when David saw her, to let him know she was just fine without him. She wasn't. She already missed him, and despite knowing she needed no one besides Henry, she'd fallen for David, and hated the fact that he was picking up his life with Snow right where he'd left it off.

Changing into a black dress with short sleeves and a deep v-neck, Regina styled her hair and did her make up. She ran a subtle, but dark, pink lipstick over her full lips and double (triple) checked her appearance in the mirror.

Her breath hitched when the doorbell rang, and part of her felt sad that Henry wouldn’t just feel free to enter, but the other part of her was nearly trembling with nerves. Checking the clock and noting that it was nearly three, Regina made her way down the stairs and slipped into the heels by the door. She took a calming breath, then opened the door and smiled.

“Henry!” she said excitedly, though trying to keep her voice calm and less emotional, lest she cry about being the parent he visited with instead of the one with whom he lived.

“Hey mom!” Henry entered, wrapping his arms around her waist in a quick hug before pulling back. “How’s being back home?”

Regina forced a smile. “Oh it’s nice having a shower again. But I’m afraid I had more freedom in the Enchanted Forest. And a castle.” She winked, knowing that would get him. “But nothing will ever compare to getting to see you again. I missed you so very much.”

Henry grinned. “I missed you, too. Tell me about your castle!”

“Oh, well it’s a castle. It’s fine, but I actually don’t mind not living in a castle anymore. But it was nice, having friends there. Why don’t we let David actually come in and take this conversation somewhere besides the entryway?”

Henry laughed sheepishly, turning toward David. “Come on, gramps. I can give you the tour.”

“I remember what it’s like,” David answered, before thinking on his words.

Regina winced and closed the door, then turned to face the guys.

“When did you come here?”

“Uh… before the curse broke, your mom made me dinner when I was going through the divorce with Kathryn, when I needed a friend. She made me lasagna. It was nice.”

Breathing a sigh of relief that he’d left out the major parts of why she’d brought him home and what she’d tried, Regina smiled and nodded at Henry. “I did. And I’m actually baking lasagna right now, in case you guys want dinner. It would be an early meal, or you can take some home if you’d rather.”

David smiled. “We’d love to stay for dinner.” He motioned for Henry to lead him into the house, and once the boy was turned and walking, David rested his hand on Regina’s lower back and kissed the side of her head. “You look lovely,” he whispered, his smile brightening. “But you can’t hide your sadness from me, disappointing as that may be for you.”

Regina looked down for a second, then turned her face to look up at him, those beautiful blue eyes she’d fallen for shining and looking as deep as ever. “We’ll talk about it later. Or never. It doesn’t much matter at this point.”

He nodded curtly, and they were interrupted a moment later by Henry’s voice beckoning them to come.

 

The day passed too quickly, and when they were all full from dinner and dessert, and Regina and Henry had each taken a turn beating David in a video game, Regina packed leftovers for the boys and leaned against the counter in her kitchen. Henry had gone upstairs to gather some of his things that he wanted, leaving David and Regina alone in the kitchen for a few moments. She’d hoped David wouldn’t bring anything awkward up, especially nothing about how happy he was now to be back with his wife. Especially not after their last night together.

But he didn’t. Not really. He moved to stand beside her, bumping his arm against hers and then crossing his arms over his chest as he looked down at her from the side.

“How are you _really_ doing? Are you holding up alright?” he asked softly.

“Why wouldn’t I be?” Regina answered, shrugging and forcing another fake smile.

David turned sideways, leaning his hip against the counter and taking one of her hands, pulling her to face him. “If you think after all the time we spent together, I can’t tell a real smile from you from a fake, you think even less of my intelligence than I thought.”

“We were only gone ten days, not that much time.”

“You know it was longer than that to us.”

“I'm fine, David. It's… quiet here, and I'm no longer used to the quiet, between you and Aurora, but I'll be okay. It's not the same being in this house without Henry.”

He nodded sadly, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and hugging her. “We’ll get him back to you, okay? I promise.”

It took her a moment, but Regina wrapped her arms around his waist and nodded. “Thank you. I miss him.”

Neither of them heard Henry come down the stairs, or saw him watching them hug, head tilted and face scrunched in confusion. He waited a moment, then cleared his throat and entered the kitchen.

David and Regina pulled apart, both turning to look at Henry and his confused expression.

“Why are you hugging? You don't really like each other.”

Regina sighed and David smiled.

“Your mom and I went through a lot together back in the Enchanted Forest. We got to be friends, and we were talking about something sad, so I hugged your mom to make her feel better,” David explained awkwardly.

“What were you talking about?”

“Now Henry, it's not nice to pry into people's private conversations.”

Regina was relieved David had answered; it saved her a moment to gather herself. “It's nothing for you to worry about, sweetheart. I'm fine,” she assured him, smiling and running her fingers through his hair to straighten it. “Now did you get everything you needed from your room?”

“Yeah,” he answered, his voice still holding a tone of apprehension.

“Alright, I suppose it's time for you guys to go. You'll come back soon, Henry?”

Finally accepting that whatever they'd been talking about wasn't something they were going to tell him, Henry nodded. “Yeah. Maybe the day after tomorrow?”

“Of course, sweetheart,” Regina answered. “Anytime you want.” Henry seemed satisfied with that answer, so she walked them to the door and watched as they left her alone. She waited until David's truck was pulling away, finally closing the door and leaning against it. It wasn't even six-thirty; it had been such a short visit. And she had no idea what she'd do with the rest of her night alone.

 

When David and Henry got back to the loft, entering and talking about one of the comic books Henry had picked up from Regina’s house, David looked up to find the table set, ready for a meal.

Snow walked around from the kitchen and smiled at them. “Are you guys ready to eat?” she asked cheerfully, looking between both of them, then to the container of lasagna in Henry's hand.

“Uh, Regina made us dinner,” David answered.

“Oh. Well of course she did.” Snow pursed her lips and looked at Henry. “Why don't you put that in the fridge and take your things upstairs?”

He obeyed, leaving them alone. David shrugged as he looked at his wife. “Sorry, she offered and it was dinner time. I didn't think it was fair to tell her she couldn't have dinner with her son.”

“David, why do you care? He's _Emma’s_ son. And after everything she's done to us, she doesn't really have any right to him,” she countered.

Running a hand down over his face, David shook his head and sighed. “Snow, you know that isn't true. She adopted him, Emma gave him up. I'm not saying Emma doesn't deserve to get to know him and all, because he wants to be with her too, but Regina raised him, and he wants to be with _her_ , too. We can't just keep him from the woman who raised him.”

“Emma is his mother.”

“She is. And so is Regina.”

“Why are you on her side?”

“I'm not on anyone’s side. I'm doing what I think is best for Henry. He doesn't deserve to not have his mom in his life. Either of them. He wants them both, so he gets them both.” David sighed, lowering his voice. “He had so much fun there with her. And she wants to give up magic again for him. That's a good thing. They're good for each other.”

Pausing, Snow nodded and let out a sigh of her own. “Alright. I guess I'll just put away dinner.”

“I'll sit with you while you eat. Come on.” David took her hand and led her the few steps to the table. “It looks great, I'll have to take some to lunch tomorrow.” He looked around the apartment and furrowed his brow. “Where's Emma?”

“She's working. I'm not sure what she's doing but she said there was a call about something at the docks.”

“Should I go back her up?”

Snow shook her head. “She'll ask if she needs your help.”

“Alright,” David answered. He didn't like Emma being out there with dangerous things without someone helping her, but he'd have to deal with it. There'd been too many years he didn't get to protect her, and he wanted to make up for it, but he'd wait until she asked.

Henry came back down from the loft and crossed over to sit on the couch, a video game in his hands and headphones over his ears. David watched him for a moment, noticing that his look of concentration was exactly like Regina's and he had a pang of pain in his heart for her. He didn't like having to leave her alone.

Snow started speaking, so he turned his head to look at her, trying his best to focus on her, on his wife, but his thoughts still lingered on the brunette across town.


	15. Chapter 15

David called Regina the next morning, wanting to know if she knew anything about a pirate who called himself Captain Hook. She rolled her eyes to herself as she explained that she did, and asked why.

“He's in town.”

“How?”

“No clue. Emma searched his ship but she can't search the way you can. With magic, I mean. I was wondering uh, if maybe--”

“Yeah, I'll go take a look,” Regina cut in.

“No! No, I mean yes, but I don't want you to go alone. I was going to ask if I could come get you and take you there,” David rushed.

She knew if she argued, he'd show up at the docks anyway, so Regina sighed and agreed.

 

She was nervous. There wasn't a reason to be, well… unless she considered she might face the man who'd cheated her and made her believe her mother was dead. But Regina could take him on. How he'd evaded Rumplestiltskin, she'd never understand.

When David arrived, Regina was halfway out the door to walk to his car and noticed he was walking up the sidewalk.

“You didn't have to get out of the car.”

He chuckled. “Always so difficult.”

“And you're too friendly. So Emma talked to Hook?”

“She did,” David answered, opening the passenger door for her and receiving a shake of her head.

“And he didn't say why he was here?”

“No.”

Regina waited until he'd gotten in and started the truck before saying anything else. “Well he's the reason we had to face my mother in the Enchanted Forest.”

Frowning, he looked at her. “What? Why?”

“He was who I sent to kill her before I cast the curse. I knew I didn’t want her coming through with the curse, so I enchanted his hook for one go and taught him how to take out a heart with it.”

“Ah. So you just… well, how did they trick you?”

Regina sighed. “My mother didn’t have her heart in her body, so when he tried, he was obviously unsuccessful. I imagine she offered him something to turn sides and bring her back, while she pretended she was in fact dead. Serves me right for trusting a pirate.”

David reached his hand over after he put the truck in gear. He squeezed her thigh, the touch coming naturally, even though it made her stiffen just slightly. “I’m sorry, Regina. You deserved so much better of a childhood than you got.”

“It’s done and over with. Now we’ll tend to this stupid pirate and see what he wants. I can hazard a guess though.”

“What is your guess?”

“He wants Rumplestiltskin. He wants to kill him. Not that I particularly care, but it is what it is.”

David thought for a moment as they drove together. He needed to get Snow and Emma to be okay with Regina acting as mayor again. Snow had apparently taken over in their absence, and was proving to buckle under the pressure. And it wouldn’t hurt for a powerful sorceress to be the one watching the town and knowing everything that was going on with it.

“You’re thinking hard on something, dear, I can almost see smoke coming out of your ears,” Regina teased, winking at him when he looked over at her.

“Always funny, aren’t you?”

“Hah, now that’s something no one would ever believe.” She looked out her window, finally bringing her own hand to rest atop his on her thigh. Squeezing his fingers, Regina thought a moment on how badly she missed him already. She’d only been alone two nights and she craved him in her bed, craved the quiet of their mornings together and the desire for her that he’d had. Now he had his wife to tend to and make happy. Thinking of which, “Where does Snow think you are?”

He let silence fill the space between them for a moment, then glanced at her. “At the docks.”

“With me?”

“No,” David mumbled, looking slightly guilty. “She thinks I was going alone.”

“Of course. Certainly can’t allow the Evil Queen to corrupt her perfect Prince.”

“Regina…”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“No, you’re right. I should have told her. I just… I don’t know how to talk to her right now.” He sighed, turning toward the water. “I’m happy to be home, and to be with my family. But right now Snow and I are on different pages and we’re having issues meeting in the middle.”

Regina rolled her lips together and nodded. “I’m sorry. I imagine it’s hard to make up for twenty-eight years apart.”

“Yeah, it is. But we don’t need to talk about my problems.” He parked the truck. “Let’s go figure out what we’re dealing with.”

Nodding, Regina got out of the car and walked around to the front to wait for him. Once he was at her side, she led him to the docks, but there was no ship to be seen.

“Are you sure your daughter wasn’t hallucinating?”

“I’m positive. It has to be here.”

Regina turned, looking for any sign, which she got from seagulls who seemed to be resting on empty air. She waved her hand in front of her, clearing away a spell and revealing the Jolly Roger. “Yep, this is Captain Hook’s ship.”

“So other than wanting Gold dead, is he harmless or should we be concerned?”

“Depends.” She led him up the ramp and onto the ship, beginning to look for clues, trying to feel for traces of magic. It was curious that the ship was under a concealing spell when it hadn’t been the day before. “How he got here and who used magic to hide his ship are currently our biggest concerns.”

David’s phone rang, so he picked it up and turned to speak into it. While he was busy, Regina searched the deck to no avail. As soon as he hung up, he moved to her side. “Guess what that was about?”

“Hm?”

“Snow and Emma would like me to invite you to a ‘Welcome Back’ party that Ruby is throwing in honor of our return.”

“Your return, you mean. And why on earth do your wife and daughter want me there?”

He smiled then, the act lighting up his face. “Because, you stubborn woman, your son requested your invite.”

Regina returned his smile and nodded. “Then I’ll be there.”

“Good. It’s tonight at seven.”

She nodded again, then looked around. “We could look below deck, but I think I’d rather see if I can find him first. Maybe get some answers out of him.”

David agreed, leading her from the ship and down the ramp. “We’ll keep an eye out for him. In the meantime, I’ll get you home so you can get back to your life and prepare for the party.”

 

Regina had spoken to Archie on the phone twice since she’d been back, trying to get help to work through stopping her magic use, and to learn how to handle Emma and Snow when it came to her son. With the knowledge that she’d see them (and the rest of the town that hated her) at the party, she made a stop to his office once David had driven her home.

“Regina,” he greeted, letting her in. “How are you doing today?”

She took a seat on the sofa, sighing and looking straight ahead instead of at him. “I’m… nervous. Henry wanted me invited to the party for David tonight, and I want to see him, so I have to go. But Emma and Snow hardly want me around my own son, and I don’t know how to deal with them.”

Nodding, Archie gave her a faint smile. “Well you know your son wants you there, and that’s the most important thing, right? I suppose your biggest concern next is how to make sure you can remain comfortably civil with them in front of him?”

Regina nodded. “I’m just so angry they think they have more of a right to him than I do. The only reason Henry is still with them is because it is what he wants, otherwise I’d have him back at my house. Emma gave him up! She acts like she can take that back and it isn’t fair.”

He gave her a sympathetic smile. “I know it's hard. I know you wouldn't ever hurt Henry, but they're worried about it, and like you said, right now Henry wants to be there. You should do your best to be civil when you're talking to them, remain calm, and then walk away if you can and find someone else to talk to or to be around.” Archie thought a moment. “You said you and David had become friends in our world?”

“Yes.”

“Perhaps you should use him as a buffer during your interactions. They're his family, I assume it would be reasonable to wait for any important discussions until you have someone - a friend - to be there for support.”

“But still, _they’re_ his family. Not me.”

Archie leaned forward, patting her forearm with one hand. “Sometimes we find that friendships acquire the strongest bonds we can make. Perhaps he’ll still be able to help you. You won't know unless you try.”

Regina nodded, pursing her lips and looking away. She'd allowed too much of herself to David, and he probably didn't care nearly as much about her. But she could try, if it meant earning Henry back. “Thank you for your time.” She stood and left, heading home to get ready for the party.

 

She walked in late, halfway through the cheers at the end of a toast. David watched her immediately - watched the way she tried to shrink in on herself as she apologized for being late, then watched the way Grumpy shut up at her quick response to his questioning her lasagna. He excused himself from Snow to get a plate. He and Henry had devoured the leftovers she'd sent home with them. It was really one of his favorite meals.

Grabbing a taco first, for good measure, David took a cut of lasagna and turned to stand by her as he ate.

“I wasn't sure you'd come,” he said, his voice low.

“I wasn't either. But I had more stuff for lasagna, and couldn't really turn down another chance to see Henry.”

David looked at her and smiled as he chewed a bite of lasagna. “Well I'm glad you came.”

Regina nodded, looking over at him with a hint of a smile.

“And how does Snow feel about my presence?”

He shrugged, taking another bite of his food and chewing deliberately. He knew it wasn't going to be easy, keeping the friendship he'd promised with Regina while keeping his wife happy, but it was an ongoing battle he was willing to fight. “She doesn't understand why I'm friends with you, but she'll eventually learn to be okay with it.”

“Alright,” she answered hesitantly. “I just don't see how.”

“Because you've changed. I know it's harder being back here, and not having Henry at home, but we’ll get it there. I promise.”

Regina didn't say anything, because Henry came up and she didn't want to discuss it in front of him. He had a mug of hot cocoa in his hand and she bent to smile at him. “Have you gotten your fill of food?”

“Yeah.” Henry grinned, looking between his mother and grandfather. “So you're really friends?”

“We are.” Regina smiled and ran her fingers through his hair, standing back up straight and looking at David for a moment. Once she returned her gaze to her son, she nodded. “David and I went through a lot back in our world.”

“That kind of stuff can make people see each other in a different way. Your mom really did a lot to get us back here,” David added.

Henry nodded and smiled. “Well I'm glad then. I've never really seen you with friends,” he said, looking up at his mom.

She felt touched that he wanted her to have a friend, even if that friend was David. “Thank you, sweetheart,” she murmured, turning to wrap her arm around his shoulder.

Emma called to Henry, they were cutting a cake Archie had brought and the blonde knew he'd want a piece. He hugged her and left, heading toward the other woman.

Regina sighed, leaning back against the wall and looking down for a moment. “I think I'll go,” she told David softly, grabbing her coat from the stool she'd left it on. “Thanks for inviting me.”

He looked down at her and nodded, saddened both by her leaving and the look on her face. David knew it was because she'd come to see Henry and had barely gotten a moment with him before Emma had called him away. The cake could have waited. “Okay. I'll bring him by in a couple days again. Maybe after school Monday?”

“Thank you, David. I'll see you then.” Regina turned and left, pulling her coat on as she walked out the door.

 

“Regina, wait,” she heard. That voice put her on edge, but she turned halfway down the walk from the diner.

“Yes, Emma?”

“Archie made a cake, you don't wanna stay for a piece?”

“I'm fine, thank you.” She didn't want cake. She wanted her son back in her life more permanently.

“Okay.” Emma nodded, turning back toward the diner.

Regina sighed. “Thank you.”

“You just said that,” the blonde returned, turning back toward Regina with a heavy exhale.

“I mean for… for saying it was okay to invite me.”

“Henry wanted it.”

“Maybe,” she forced an awkward smile, “maybe he could stay over sometime. I have his room just sitting there, with all of his things.”

“I-I’m not sure that would be best.”

Regina was angry then. How dare she think she could parent Henry better. “Because you know so much about parenting in the five minutes you've been with him? He's my son!”

“Right, thanks for coming,” Emma answered, turning back to the restaurant.

“No. Wait. I'm sorry,” Regina said quickly. “I -- Emma, I’m sorry. Snapping at you -- I should have done that.” When the blonde didn't saying anything, Regina sighed. “Will you accept my apology?”

“Okay. You're right. Archie said you were trying to change, and, well, you are.”

Regina frowned, a tight and unsettling feeling filling her stomach. “Dr. Hopper said I was trying?”

Nodding, Emma said, “Yeah, he said you came to see him, that you're trying not to use magic, that you're trying to be a better person. You understand we were hesitant to have David invite you. I asked him, and he thought it was a good idea.”

“Thank you. It was,” Regina answered, though she felt anger at Archie's betrayal building up in her stomach. Emma gave her an awkward smile, and Regina took one step back. “I should be going.”

 

The next morning, Regina came across Archie on a walk. He greeted her, and she let her anger fuel her conversation with him. He did seem truly apologetic, though, and she didn't have it in her to be cruel -- not really. But the conversation left her upset and Ruby’s interruption made her feel like she'd taken a step backwards in proving she'd changed. With a heavy sigh, she went home and sent a message to David.

_Tell your wolf friend to stay out of my business._

 

David laughed when he got the message, but hoped Ruby wasn't giving Regina too hard of a time. The sound made his wife curious, though, and he heard her clear her throat.

“What's funny?”

Shaking his head, he looked at her. “Not so much funny as the wording.”

Snow waited a moment before saying, “Well what did they say?”

“Oh, just Regina requesting we keep Ruby out of her business. I didn't ask why though.”

“Why don't you find out?”

“I'm sure it's something silly, but I'm not going to push her if she doesn't want to say. You could probably ask Ruby.”

Another message came through from her and David glanced down at it.

_Did you know Hopper talk to your daughter about me coming to see him?_

He text back that he didn't know that, and he was sorry. She didn't say anything else so he shrugged and put his phone away. Turning his attention to Snow, he found that she looked annoyed.

“What's wrong?” he asked gently, though he assumed it was about Regina.

“When did your loyalties switch from our side to hers?”

David shook his head. “They haven't. But I'm not going to prod if she doesn't want to tell me something. She's my friend, yes, but she's also still a private person.”

Snow eyed him for a moment, but finally nodded. “Okay, just let me know if she says anything else.”

“Sure.”

He tucked his phone away, and that was the last thing he heard from Regina before Emma called in her for questioning about Archie’s death the next morning.

 

 


	16. Chapter 16

Regina sat at the table in the inquisition room, staring ahead of her at the two-way glass, though she couldn't see where they were. Nor did she know what she was in questioning for. She sighed, leaning back and folding her hands together.

Emma finally came in trying to look as though she owned the room, David trailing behind her, so Regina gave her a few snarky lines, but they fell flat. She had no idea what she had somehow managed to do wrong this time.

“You know why you're here. Because of Archie,” Emma said.

Regina rolled her eyes. “Oh, it's now against the law to get into an argument with someone?”

“It is if you go into their office later that night and kill them,” Emma shot back, while David remained silent. He didn't believe Regina did it. Not even a little bit.

Looking between the two blondes in shock, Regina finally said, “Archie’s dead?”

David knew that look on Regina, knew it better than anyone else in town. He relaxed a little, his belief and trust in her confirmed. “Ruby said she saw you go in his office late last night.”

“That's impossible; I was at home.”

“Alone?” he asked, though his tone wasn't the least bit suspicious, more concerned that she didn't have someone to give her an alibi.

“Of course. Can you think of anyone in town who actually wants to spend time with me?” Regina shot back in annoyance, turning her gaze to Emma. “Honestly, after everything I have done to change, to be better for Henry, you think I would throw it all away over some stupid argument?”

Emma sighed.

“And the fact that you ‘caught’ me is suspicious. If I'd done it, you wouldn't have a clue.”

Nodding, Emma motioned David out of the room so they could talk to Mary Margaret.

“She's lying,” the brunette said, the moment the door was closed.

“She isn't.” David shook his head. “I know Regina. She isn't lying.”

His wife opened her mouth to argue, but Emma openly agreed with him.

“I'm sorry, but Regina's right. She would have covered her tracks. She wouldn't have been careless if it was her. This is a frame job.”

Snow shook her head, looking up at David. “And why do you believe her? You know what she's capable of. Is this because you actually don't think she did it, or is there another reason you're defending her?”

“Like what, Snow? Of course I don't believe she did it.”

“What happened between you two in the Enchanted Forest?” she pressed.

“We became friends! I trust her! And you should, too.” David shook his head.

“Mary Margaret, I know Regina, I know that look,” Emma cut in. “She was surprised when we told her. She didn't do it. I believe her.”

Relieved that he wasn't the only one, David nodded firmly. “So who do we know who would set Regina up?”

“The entire town,” Snow answered in annoyance. “Because as you've seem to forgotten, she cursed us all and took everyone away from their happy ending for twenty-eight years!”

David looked at Regina through the two-way glass while he thought on it. “Gold!”

“Let's go,” Emma answered.

 

David's heart sunk when Emma suddenly took Snow’s side after seeing Pongo’s memories. He didn't believe it. There was something wrong, something off about Regina's stance. But he couldn't provide an answer of what, so when his wife decided they needed to use Blue as a backup plan, he didn't argue. He was going along with them, if only to try to help Regina.

Pulling out his phone, he sent only one word to Regina in a text, knowing if he fiddled with his phone too long, the two women would become suspicious. He felt awful going behind their backs, but he still doubted Regina did it. He couldn't lose faith in her, not when she'd come so far.

They headed to Regina's, Blue hiding out of view while Snow and Emma led the way to the front door. David hung back slightly, shaking his head at the encounter when Regina opened the door. She seemed genuinely shocked, and that pleased him because it reaffirmed his faith in her.

But he wasn't happy with the way she used magic to throw Emma down the sidewalk. He'd probably have done the same thing if their places were traded, though. David stepped between them then, gripping Regina's bicep. “Regina, please stop.”

The look she gave him was too much for him to bear. Her eyes dark and filled with anger, a shadow of sadness hiding behind the rage. “You.”

It sounded half like a statement and half like a question to David, and he shook his head. “No. I'm just trying to stop you from hurting my daughter, but I believe you, Regina. I really do.”

Movement caught her attention from the corner of her eye, and she saw Blue appear, and suddenly the woman was shooting fairy dust at her. Regina stopped it, using magic to toss it to the ground at Snow’s feet. She looked to David, hissing, “Then prove it.” With that, she disappeared.

 

“What the hell, David? You let her get away!” Emma cried.

“Why are you on her side?” That one was from his wife, and he turned to look at her.

“She didn't do it. She was surprised!”

“Because we caught her!”

David shook his head. “No! She didn't do it! I know her better than you two do. I trust her. I’m sorry you don’t, but you’ll see, and I hope you two understand how much this is setting you both back with her.”

Snow scoffed. “That shouldn’t be your concern!” she yelled. “ _We_ should be your concern. _Archie_ should be your concern. But Regina should _not_!”

He sighed, looking at the ground for a moment to calm himself. Taking a step toward her, David gripped her arms and rubbed the outsides of them soothingly. “Listen, I know she looks suspicious. I understand why you’re wary and I would be, too, _if_ I hadn’t gotten to know her better. Snow, that woman you told me about, the woman you swore up and down was still there, beneath the hard and cold and cruel we saw in her for so many years… she is there. She just needs a friend, she needs someone in her corner, believing in her and backing her up.” He dipped his head, looking her in the eye. “And I’m sorry it upsets you, but I’m going to be that. Regina saved me, and protected me, and got me back home. She could have easily said that I died or got lost or whatever, and left me behind. But she didn’t. So for that she has earned my trust and loyalty here.”

“I’m your wife, David. You owe no loyalty to anyone but me,” Snow countered stubbornly. But she could see where he was coming from. That didn’t mean she liked it.

“I know. And I love you, Snow. I always have, and I have always supported you. And this is not me taking her side over yours. This is me standing up for what I truly believe is the truth. I do not believe she did it. She was somehow set up, and I am going to figure it out.” He leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. “But for now, we’ll just have to agree to disagree.”

She finally nodded, despite her shoulders slumping. “Okay. Then you’re off the case officially. You do what you think you need to to prove her innocent, but you can’t have our information to look for her and be secretly helping her.”

David nodded his understanding. “Fair enough.”

Emma sighed, tugging on her mother’s arm. “It’s almost time to get Henry from the bus. I have to be there to tell him. He can’t find out from anyone but me. Especially not that it was his mother who did it.”

“Emma, do you have to tell him that right now? We don’t know for sure,” David cut in.

“Yes we do. Whatever faith you have in her is unfounded. We have the proof. This isn’t your case anymore.” She shook her head. “We’ll see you at home.”

The three women left, Blue nodding at David as she passed him to walk back to the Monastery. He heaved a sigh and walked to her porch, sitting on the steps and dropping his face into his hands. He needed to figure out who framed Regina, and he needed to do it fast. Pulling out his phone, David typed up a quick message.

_We need to talk._

And while he’d checked his phone every five minutes for hours, he was met with no new messages.

 

Regina hid in her vault, sealing herself away from everyone in town. Nobody knew where she was, and the only person who even knew where this place was was Henry. Not that she wanted him to find her in this state. She was a mess. A pacing, angry, upset, betrayed mess. Henry wouldn’t believe them, would he? She’d shown him she was doing better. But Emma was his good mother, the one who had never truly wronged him (in his eyes) and the one who was the Savior. She was his hero, not Regina, so what reason would have to believe her and not Emma.

She didn’t know if David would try to prove he believed her. She had no idea how much she could truly trust him. Oh but she wanted to be able to. She needed to be able to trust _someone_ , but everyone in her life had let her down. Why should now be any different?

She paced for what seemed like hours, though she didn’t really know how long. Regina had left her phone at home, and being stuck underground didn’t allow for time checking by the sun’s position in the sky. After some time, she heard a voice, a _Hello? Mom?_ _Mom?_ being called quietly and curiously, so she waved a hand over a mirror to reveal the image of her son. He was wearing his backpack, looking around cautiously and in vain, for he wouldn’t find her unless she revealed herself.

Regina was too relieved to see him to be properly wary of his presence. She opened the secret door, pulling him into a hug. Pressing her cheek to his hair, she fought back tears in her joy of him being there. “Henry, I’m so glad you’re here. I missed you so much when—I have to let you know, I had nothing to do with Archie.”

“I know. I always knew,” he answered nonchalantly.

“I was framed. I don’t know how. I - It just seemed like everything—” his words registered in her head. “You knew? How did you know?”

He shrugged. “Simple.” Then a cloud of blue magic surrounded him, and Regina took a step back when she saw her mother. Cora looked her in the eye. “Because I did it.”

“Mother.” Regina shook her head. “I thought I stopped you from following us. I thought you wouldn’t be able to come through. How did you?” she asked. Realization came over her. “Hook.”

“Yes. The pirate, along with my determination to be by your side, got me here. Regina, my darling, don’t you see how great we could be working together? These people don’t care about you, these people have taken everything away from you.” Cora reached up to brush back her daughter’s hair, but Regina slapped her hand away.

“No. _You_ did! _You_ took everything away from me. You killed Daniel. You made me marry the king. You made me lose what little I had after you murdered Daniel by forcing me to be a stepmother to Snow White and a wife to Leopold when I was practically still a child myself!”

Cora shook her head. “Oh Regina, I know I should have never made you marry the king. I do know that now. But nobody has ever loved you as much as I love you.”

Regina took a step back, then walked around Cora. “Come on. We’re going to tell everyone you set me up. The Charmings, Emma, Henry… they’re all going to know I didn’t kill Archie, and you are going to confess it.”

“Okay.” Regina should have known by how easily her mother followed her and how willingly she seemed to agree that there was something off. Something was wrong. But she didn’t catch on.


	17. Chapter 17

The drive quickly revealed that her mother framing her had been filled with malice and not at all because she just wanted them to be a team, and Regina knew it was low, even for her mother, to have Henry’s art project used as a tool in that little plot reveal of her mother’s. Even worse were the manipulative words Cora used on her, and yet, Regina found herself aching for them, longing for the words to be true. She parked the car, allowing her mother the belief that she was soothing her, when really, all Regina wanted to do was banish her from Storybrooke and never see her again. Still, it might not be bad to have someone on her side for once. So, despite wanting to clear her name immediately, she took her mother to her house under the cover of magic, and then headed for the Charmings’ apartment on her own.

When David answered the door, she could feel her heart beat just a little bit faster, despite the pain he had caused her. She still was uncertain if she believed that he’d only been trying to help, and protect his daughter when he’d stopped her. She wished they’d never been dragged to the Enchanted Forest together, at least that way she would still be fine with his betrayal, with the way he’d so quickly stood by Snow’s side and left her alone. She should never have let herself fall for the married prince.

“Hello. I’m sure I’m not wanted here, but I have to tell you, I didn’t kill Archie.” She kept her tone indifferent, her face clear of any emotion.

“Uh, yeah… we know. We were about to come look for you,” Snow said, coming to the door.

Regina feigned innocence, furrowing her brow. “You were? You… know?”

“Yeah, your mother did it. She’s here.”

“My mother?” Regina looked around. “Well if she’s here, I need to protect Henry. Can I see him?”

David looked at Snow, at a loss for words. “Uh… he’s with Emma in New York.”

“And nobody told me?”

Snow gave her an uncomfortable smile. “Well, we couldn’t find you. And I don’t think she really needs your permission.”

Regina was fuming, every ounce of blood in her body boiling in her anger. Instead of acting on it, she glared at David and controlled her temper, nodding. “No, I suppose she doesn’t.” With that, she turned away to leave.

 

David knew Regina better than that. He knew she was too passive about Snow saying Emma didn’t need her permission to take Henry out of town, and he knew Snow knew better than to say that. Curse or no curse, birth mother or not, Emma didn’t have a single legal right to Henry, and they at least owed Regina that ounce of respect that telling her would have offered. But his daughter and wife were at war with Regina, and David knew better than to put himself too deep in the throes of it, otherwise he would be no good for helping Regina, and no good for gaining a relationship with his daughter.

Looking at Snow, he sighed and grabbed his coat. “I guess I’ll look after the station while Emma’s gone. I’m going to head down there and sit awhile, see if anyone calls with any weird complaints or reports that give us a clue about Cora’s whereabouts.”

“I’ll come with you.”

David shook his head quickly. “You should stay here in case anyone comes by. They know you live here, and everyone will likely be looking at you as their leader again, and they may come to you.

Snow frowned. “David, did I do something wrong?”

“Not at all.” Forcing a smile, he kissed her cheek and pulled his coat on. “I’ll see you in a few hours. I may drive around, too, if I can figure out how to forward the station calls to my phone, see if I can find anything that looks suspicious, check out that pirate’s ship again or something.”

She nodded. “Okay. Give me a call in a little bit, okay?”

“Sure thing.” He headed out, pulling the door closed quickly behind him and hurrying down the stairs. He wanted to see if Regina was still anywhere in sight. She wasn’t, so he decided to head to the station to forward the calls to his cell phone. After that, he would get to the bottom of whatever Regina was up to.

 

Within the hour, David was headed to Regina’s house. He pounded on her door, waiting for her with his hands on his hips. She opened the door just barely a crack, only enough to show her face to him. Furrowing her brow, she looked behind her, and then stepped out onto the porch, closing the door behind her.

“What do you want, David?”

“I know you better than that, Regina. I’m sure you still think I’m stupid, but I’m not. And I know you well enough to know you wouldn’t ordinarily let that Henry thing go without a fight, so tell me, what are you hiding?”

She folded her arms across her chest, glaring at him as she tilted her chin up just slightly to look him in the eye. “If you think I trust you after you showed up with your stupid, precious, princesses, on _my_ doorstep to arrest me for a murder you weren’t one hundred percent certain I’d committed, you’re even _more_ of an idiot than I thought you were.”

“I wasn't here to arrest you! They were, yeah, but I was here to make sure no one got hurt. I sent you a message to warn you. I didn't believe for a second that you did it.”

She faltered, but only for a half a second before giving him another glare. “And let's pretend you're not lying. My _friend_ wouldn't have let my son be taken from town without even a warning. Where was your message then? Where was your standing up for me? Don't give me your garbage. I told you everything would go back to the way it was when we returned and you insisted I was wrong. You said you'd be my friend, that you'd be on my side, too. Clearly, I was an idiot to even consider believing you. Now get off my porch.” Regina turned, pushing open her door and slipping in. She shut it as he took a step forward, making it clear she wasn't going to listen to his excuses.

He sighed, shaking his head and scrubbing his hand over his face. This whole thing was a mess, and he had no idea how he’d make Regina believe him, or trust him again. But he needed her to. He _needed_ her to, because having Regina angry at him and not talking to him was twisting his gut and causing him so much pain he could barely handle it. He missed her. He hadn’t been able to relax and be her friend really since the dinner at Granny’s. The welcome home dinner that had initially been meant for just him, but he’d made it about himself and Regina, because she meant enough for that to him, she meant enough that he wanted her there, too, to celebrate how _she_ got them back from the Enchanted Forest.

David wanted her there because he wanted to see her. He wanted her near, and he wanted to know she was safe and doing okay. And now… now he needed to find a way to get her to talk to him and to stop being mad at him, because he needed her in communication with him. He needed to constantly know that her mother hadn’t gotten to her, that Cora hadn’t found Regina and hurt her. He needed to know she was safe. But he’d screwed up, made her mad at him, and now he was going to be forced to spy like a creep or to not know that this woman… this _friend_ was safe. That wasn’t something he was certain he was comfortable with. He preferred it when she was talking to him.

 

He didn’t hear from Regina or see her around until the next day. He saw her car in town, in the parking spot she’d always used as Mayor, and she technically wasn’t supposed to be doing that job anymore (not that he had agreed with that decision, either). Pulling up next to the Mercedes in the patrol car, David headed inside and up to her office. He knocked at the door, hearing muffled voices, then a soft _come in_. Pushing open the door, he looked around and raised his eyebrows, finding Regina alone, standing in front of her desk.

Regina rolled her eyes when she saw him. “What do you want?”

“Who were you talking to?” he countered.

“Myself. The only intelligent conversation I can find in this town. What are you here for, David?”

Clenching his jaw, he sighed. “I saw your car. Regina, I… I shouldn’t have let Emma go and take Henry without you knowing. It… Gold came, told Emma he was taking her up on the favor she owed him, we found out Cora framed you for killing Archie, which meant she was in town, and you were missing and not answering my texts. So we got Henry out of town to keep him safe.”

“He is _my_ son.” Regina glared at him. “He is _my_ son,” she repeated, a little more desperation in her voice. “I raised him. I changed every diaper, soothed every nightmare, tended to every illness and cut, every fever and sore. I helped with his math, read to him at bedtime, taught him to read on his own.”

David walked toward her, nodding slowly as he watched her on the verge of breaking down. He gripped her upper arms in his hands, looking down at her. “I know. I do, I know he’s yours. I know it doesn’t matter to you that Emma gave birth to him. You’re his mother. _Except_ that Henry wants Emma in his life. I know that probably doesn’t seem fair, and it probably kills you a little bit on the inside, but it’s what he wants.”

Regina looked away, looked toward the far wall so she didn’t have to look into those blue eyes and ache that he wasn’t hers, either. “I want my son back. I want him so badly, David.”

He nodded again, pulling her closer and wrapping his arms around her shoulders. “I’m going to help. They’ll be back from New York before we know it, and I’ll bring him by for another visit. I promise.”

She wrapped her arms around him after a long moment, nodding against his chest and closing her eyes. “Thank you.”

David pressed a soft kiss to her hair, pushing her back then so he could look her in the eye. “You need to tell me what you’re hiding.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Regina answered automatically, gaze shifting away for only a short moment, before focusing on his once more.

“Regina, I know you better than that. You forget how much time we spent together.” She snorted at those words. As if she could forget. Those moments stayed with her constantly. “I know you’re keeping something from me, and I need to know what.”

“You can’t tell your wife. You can’t tell anyone, David. I mean it. If you do…” Regina shook her head, rolling her lips together. “You can’t. _No one_.”

“I swear it,” he promised. “Please?”

“My mother… I knew she was here, she came to me, she manipulated me. She’s trying to get me to take over the town and kill you and Snow, get everyone to submit to us as rulers in this town.”

“Are you insane?” His words were too loud, his reaction too intense, and for all he knew, Cora could be listening. “Well are you?”

Regina shook her head. “But she thinks so. I’m just trying to keep everyone safe, I’m trying to buy my time until I can figure out what to do. Gold made a deal with her that I’m hers, basically meaning he won’t interfere, so I can’t get his help. I’m just trying to figure out what to do. I don’t know how to defeat her, David. You know that.”

Nodding, David let his hand drop to take hers, squeezing her fingers in an attempt to reassure her. “If anyone can, it’s you. You’ll work it out, I know you will. And I’ll have my phone, so the second you need me for anything, get ahold of me, okay?”

She nodded, but she knew she wouldn’t involve him as long as she could avoid it. “I just need you to keep Henry safe once he’s back. For now, Cora is staying at my house, because that way I can keep an eye on her. I need you to trust that I’m going to handle her. No one can know. If you tell anyone and people start coming after her, they will be killed. She will not hesitate, and then the town will blame me, just like they always do when something goes wrong.”

“Don’t worry. I won’t tell anyone. Just keep me posted, okay? I know you don’t owe me anything, but I like the thought of you being alive and well, so just send me a message sometimes to just let me know Cora hasn’t locked you up or tortured you or anything.”

Licking her lips and looking away, Regina gave a quick tip of her head. “I’m… there’s another thing. She interrupted us back in our world. She’ll use that if she thinks you and Snow are a threat. Or if she thinks it’ll hurt someone. So just… keep that in mind.”

David let out a sigh and scrubbed a hand over his face. “Yeah, all right. I’ll be on my toes.”

“Good.”

“Good. Then uh, yeah, just keep me updated every so often, and we’ll plan something when Henry’s back, yeah?”

“Thank you, David.” Regina realized her fingers were still tangled with his and she pulled her hand away. “I’ll talk to you soon.”

He backed up toward the door, nodding. “Take care.”

Once he was gone, Regina leaned against her desk and crossed her arms over her stomach, trying to will away the gut-wrenching pain at the thought of her mother doing anything to Henry or David. She needed to figure out how to get rid of Cora. Soon.

 

 


End file.
